asked the Minister of Labour the estimated number of juveniles between the ages of 14 and 18 now unemployed?

asked the Minister of Labour the number of boys and girls unemployed at the latest available date and the comparable figures for the previous year?

At 24th September, 1934, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 65,339 unemployed boys and 51,446 unemployed girls, of 14 and under 18 years of age, on the registers of Employment Exchanges and Juvenile Employment Bureaux in Great Britain. At 25th September, 1933, the corresponding figures were 57,076 and 39,830 respectively. The comparability of these figures is affected by the large increase in the numbers of children reaching the school-leaving age during the year, and by the lowering of the insurance age at the beginning of September, 1934.

Is the right hon. Gentleman consulting his colleague the President of the Board of Education in regard to these appalling figures, in order to do something to keep these children longer at school?

I am always consulting my colleagues, but I do not agree with the hon. Member's description of the figures as appalling. In view of the large increase in the number of children leaving school, their absorption into industry is rather remarkable.

Do the figures include boys and girls of the working-class only, or do they include all those unemployed between the ages of 14 and 18 years?

It depends entirely on whether they are on the unemployment register at the Exchange, or at the Juvenile Unemployment Bureau.

Arising from that reply—

We have 133 questions on the Order Paper to-day.

asked the Minister of Labour whether the Unemployment Insurance Statutory Committee have examined the question of bringing the black-coated workers within the scope of unemployment insurance?

No, Sir. This question will be brought before the committee as soon as possible, but for the present the committee is fully occupied with the question of unemployment insurance for agriculture which the Act required them to consider immediately.

asked the Minister of Labour whether the Unemployment Insurance Statutory Committee has examined the question of the insurance of agricultural workers against unemployment; and. if so, with what result?

The Statutory Committee is examing this question, and has not yet made a report.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say when he expects to receive the report?

I am afraid I cannot. They have held several meetings and have been hearing evidence.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of aliens, giving the country of origin and type of employment, that have been allowed to enter this country to take up employment during the present year?

As the reply includes detailed statistical tables, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, have the information circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Can the right hon. Gentleman give the totals?

In view of the way some of the tables are set out, it would be rather misleading.

asked the Minister of Labour the total number of insured persons, classified in trade groups, unemployed in the building industry in Great Britain on the latest available date, and comparable figures for 1933.

As the reply includes a table of figures, I will, if I may, circulate a statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Minister of Labour the latest available figures for unemployment?

At 24th September, 1934, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 2,081,987 unemployed persons on the registers of Employment Exchanges in Great Britain.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that considerable dissatisfaction exists in the industrial part of Lancashire owing to the fact that unemployed workers with good insurance records are unable to profit by the provisions of Part I of the Unemployment Act to get extra benefits if their benefit years happen to end before 26th July, 1934, the date of the coming into operation of the Act, unless they are able to qualify for another benefit year by getting 10 stamps on their cards, an extremely difficult thing to do with the present depressed state of the cotton trade; and whether, in order to remove this grievance, he will consider introducing legislation at an early date?

Part I of the Unemployment Act granted additional days of benefit to claimants who had been eligible for benefit at some time during their benefit years which were current when the Act began to operate. This was generally recognised as a generous provision, and I cannot hold out any hopes of further legislation on the point.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the intention of Parliament was that these persons should not suffer as a result of the passing of the Act. Is it not hard that, owing to the present depression in Lancashire, it is quite possible that they may never be able to profit by the passing of the Act?

I must assume that the intention of Parliament is set out in the Act which Parliament passed. I recognise that there are unfortunate cases; that is always the case when new legislation of this kind takes effect from a particular date.

Is it not a flaw in the Act?

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware of the anxiety of disabled ex-service men to have those parts of the Unemployment Act put into force which affect the manner in which their pensions shall be taken into account in calculating need; and whether he can give any indication as to when the Act will be put into force in this respect

It is my desire to bring these provisions into force as soon as possible and according to present proposals the First Appointed Day as my hon. Friend knows, is to be 7th January. I regret that it is not possible to propose an earlier date.

asked the Minister of Labour how many local education authorities have made arrangements for juvenile instruction centres under the Unemployment Act and which authorities have so far failed to do so?

77 education authorities are now conducting junior instruction centres or classes or have submitted formal proposals for that purpose. A number of other authorities have proposals under active consideration, while in many areas there will be no need for centres or classes. Considerable delay is inevitable in many areas particularly owing to the difficulty of acquiring sites and accommodation, but I have received no information which suggests that any authority does not intend to carry out its obligation under the Act.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say how many centres were in existence before, and how many are new centres?

If the hon. Member will put down a question, I shall be glad to give him the information.

Are these centres being provided in places where juvenile unemployment is highest?

I have given the number of authorities in which they are actually operating, and I have indicated that in other areas arrangements are proceeding.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he can state if the fixing of the dates when Part II of the Unemployment Act comes into operation was made by the Government or his Department; and whether any consideration was given to the expenditure already incurred by industrial areas?

Under Section 63 of the Unemployment Assistance Act, 1934, the appointed days are to be fixed by the Minister of Labour, subject to the consent of the Treasury. The desire of all concerned is to fix them at the earliest practicable date and as already stated it is proposed that they shall be the 7th January and 1st March respectively.

As the Treasury have some say in the fixing of the date will the right hon. Gentleman give further consideration to the large expenditure entailed upon local authorities throughout the country in providing this additional benefit, which should be borne by the Treasury, arid reconsider the matter with them?

A desire to relieve local authorities of expenditure was of course one of the reasons why we were anxious to make the date as early as possible, but the overriding consideration must be the practicability of having the machinery working. We came to the conclusion that the machinery of the Board could not be in operation before the dates which have been provisionally fixed.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has considered representations from local authorities protesting at the postponement of the appointed day, under Part II of the Unemployment Insurance Act, to next year; and whether it is proposed to make any offer of financial assistance to meet the increased cost to the authorities adversely affected?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that representations are being made by various Scottish municipalities against the decision of the Government to fix 1st March, 1935, as the date upon which Part II of the Unemployment Act, 1934, comes into operation; and whether, in view of the fact that a much earlier date was generally expected, he will consider the question of granting to local authorities financial assistance towards able-bodied unemployed relief equivalent to what they would have received had the appointed day been fixed as from 1st July, 1934?

I have received a number of representations from local authorities on the subject of the appointed days which, subject to approval by Parliament of the necessary regulations, it is proposed to fix for the purposes of Part II of the Unemployment Act. As regards the second part of each of the questions, I am not in a position to add anything to the answer given on the 18th May last to one of the Members for Dundee (Mr. Dingle Foot), namely, that it is not possible to anticipate the relief which local authorities will receive when the Act is in full operation.

Will my right hon. Friend be good enough to receive a deputation from Scottish local authorities on this matter, and is he aware that that would be regarded as a very friendly gesture on his part and would clear up some unfortunate misunderstandings which have arisen about the fixing of the appointed day?

I think my hon.. Friend had best communicate with me on the subject.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that I have received a letter this morning from Dumbarton and Clydebank intimating the fact to me that they are sending a deputation to meet the Chancellor of the Exchequer on this question, and I want to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, here in the House of Commons, if he is prepared to receive that deputation?

Can my right hon. Friend say why people who voted against this Bill are so anxious to have it brought into operation?

If my right hon. Friend accedes to the request of Scotland on a communication being addressed to him, will he also accede to the request of England?

My hon. Friend has pointed out the dangers of acceding to any such request.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in consequence of the delay in bringing the Bill into operation, great hardship has been inflicted on many of the distressed areas, and that, so far as West Ham is concerned, it makes a difference of £28,000?