§ Major McCallumasked the Minister of Works if it is proposed to revive the slate industry on the Island of Luing in Argyllshire and thereby provide employment for ex-Servicemen on the island.
§ Mr. TomlinsonI am informed that the position of the slate industry on the Island of Luing has been included in a survey of the Scottish Slate Industry recently conducted for the Scottish Development270W Great Britain in 1900 and only a limited number of trades were covered in 1913. Furthermore, in 1938 and at the present time, the whole of the Armed Forces and a large part of the employees in National and Local Government are excluded from statistics of the insured population. A limited comparison of the kind referred to for 1911, 1939 and the end of 1945 can, however, be made in terms of percentages of the occupied population. Owing to changes in the basis of industrial classification, comparable figures are not available for 1900. Figures are not available for any date prior to 1939 in regard to the numbers employed in the manufacture of munitions, i.e., equipment and supplies for the Forces. The following table gives such figures as are available:
Council, the report of which will shortly be published. In the meantime and pending consideration of the recommendations of the Report, I am not in a position to make a statement.