§ Mr. Peter Freemanasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what are the present rates of unemployment in Asmara of the male and female population, respectively, between 12 and 18 years and above 18 years of age; the wage of labourers employed by the British Military Administration; and the average wage of Eritreans, both male and female, in the Colony between 12 and 18 years of age and over 18 years of age.
§ Mr. MayhewI regret that it is not possible to maintain reliable statistics of the rate of unemployment in Asmara as few of the indigenous population register at the Labour Office. At the latest available date, 31st October, 1949, 3,294 persons were registered in the Asmara 103W and Hamasien administrative division. No information is available on the age distribution of these persons. The wages of Eritrean labourers employed by the British Administration range from 2.50 to 4.10 East African shillings per day. 1 am arranging for the Chief Administrator to forward information about the average level of wages and will communicate this to my hon. Friend when it is received.