Three-Day Working Week

Mr. Wingfield Digby
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what increase in unemployment in Dorset there has been as a result of the three-day week.

Mr. Chichester-Clark
On 10th December 1973, the number of persons registered as wholly unemployed at local offices in Dorset was 2,363 ; no more recent figure is available. On the same date there were no workers laid off and registering unemployment benefit ; I estimate that the number of individuals in this category is now about 1,500 during the week.