asked the Minister of Labour what is the average weekly amount of unemployment benefit paid to 1,000,000 unemployed persons and their dependants?

The average weekly amount of unemployment benefit paid to 1,000,000 unemployed persons claiming benefit and their dependants was during the year 1929 about £790,000.

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the fact that, while no unemployment benefit is payable in respect of authorised holidays, signatures given on or for these days count for linking up in order to qualify a man for unemployment benefit if he is unemployed for two other days in any six working days, that signatures given retrospectively are only allowed when the Employment Exchange has been closed upon that authorised holiday, and that therefore when the Exchanges are open men are required to attend at the Exchanges in order to sign upon that holiday, she will issue instructions to the Exchanges authorising them to allow men to sign retrospectively in respect of authorised holidays in cases where such a signature will be of benefit to them even when the Exchanges were open on the said authorised holiday?

Claimants who are suspended from work or are working short time, and have not been definitely discharged from their employment, can count days of recognised customary holidays for continuity purposes only if they prove unemployment for such days in the normal way. I do not think it is reasonable to ask that signature of the register should be excused on days when the Exchanges and branch employment offices are open for the purpose of signature. Provision is, of course, made for excuse of signature oh good cause being shown.

I should like to ask the right hon. Lady whether she does not consider it is right that the unemployed should receive pay for holidays just as well as Members of Parliament

Does not the Minister of Labour realise that there is no difficulty about this? If they can sign back on some days in the year, there is no reason why they should not be able to sign back on others. In Nottingham it will only amount to four or five days—

Speech!

This matter is settled by Statute.

asked the Minister of Labour what reduction of hours of work of those who are at present employed in insurable occupation would be required to absorb another 1,000,000 persons and keep up the standard of output?

I regret that the varying conditions in different industries and the many other circumstances to be taken into account render it impracticable for me to give an estimate of the kind desired.

May I ask the right hon. Lady to consider whether she can get these figures, because this is the only way in which we can consider the problem of rationalisation in connection with the solution of unemployment.

asked the Minister of Labour the position of the negotiations with certain trades unions respecting the proposed Bill for the alteration of the hours of employment; and whether the objections of the railway unions have yet been met?

The further discussions to which I referred in my reply to the hon. Member's last question on this subject have not yet taken place, and I am not, therefore, in a position to add to that reply.

asked the Minister of Labour what action she proposes to take respecting the re-opening of the Employment Exchange at Grangetown?

I have this matter under consideration and hope to write to my hon. Friend in the course of the next few days dealing fully with the position.

Can the Minister of Labour say if she is going to open many more employment centres?

asked the Minister of Labour whether the numbers of those employed on the staffs of Employment Exchanges have been augmented since 10th June, 1929, in order to deal with the increased volume of unemployment; and, if so, to what extent?

The number of persons employed on the staffs of the Employment Exchanges necessarily varies with the amount of unemployment. It in- creased from 9,678 on the 10th June, 1929, to 10,540 on 20th January, 1930.

Would it not be right to say that this is the only form of employment which the Government have found for anybody? [HON. MEMBERS: "Answer!"]

The answer is in the negative.

May I ask—

I am surprised at the right hon. Lady giving a reply, as the question is quite irrelevant.

May I ask whether managers of Employment Exchanges are satisfied with the present establishments, or whether they have made any representations for an increase in staff?

The question of staffs at Employment Exchanges has been under careful review, and consultations are taking place with regard to the necessity for a readjustment where under-staffing is proved.

Is not the necessity for increasing the staff at Employment Exchanges necessitated by the action of the Government in not finding work for the unemployed?

asked the Minister of Labour how many local education authorities are affected by the reduced grant for training centres, juvenile unemployment; and what amount will be thrown upon the local education rates in consequence?

In general there has been no reduction in the rate of grant, which has been maintained at 75 per cent. of approved expenditure. In accordance, however, with the proposals recommended by the National Advisory Councils for juvenile employment a grant on the 100 per cent. basis is no longer admissible except in certain very limited classes of cases. Seven authorities are affected. One of them has decided to close its centres, but the others have not so far done so and I trust will not do so. I cannot say what the effect on the rates will be, as this depends on various uncertain factors. The total reduction in grant, assuming all the centres to continue, would be on the basis of last year's working, under £2,000 per annum.

In view of the fact that the Minister of Labour can ascertain the amount that is going to be thrown on local or national funds by the development of these training centres, will she not endeavour to obtain the figures for which I ask?

I will certainly make an effort to obtain them.

If a local authority proves that it is a necessitous area, is that fact taken into consideration?

Special consideration is given to a distressed area.

If an education authority is identified with this work, is it not rather necessary that some contribution should be made, however small?

asked the Minister of Labour the average weekly number of persons registered as unemployed at the Employment Exchanges in Great Britain for each of the years between 1921 and 1929, both inclusive?

As the reply includes a number of figures I will, with the hon. and gallant Member's permission, circulate a statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Minister of Labour if she has any figures showing the number of musicians who are at present unemployed consequent upon the introduction of talking pictures?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to a similar question by the hon. Member for Macclesfield (Mr. Remer) on 19th December last, of which I am sending him a copy.

In view of the unemployment in the musical profession, will the right hon. Lady do what she can to see that the introduction of foreign musicians into this country is limited as far as possible?

I can assure the hon. Member and the House that that is so already. I am in constant communication on this matter, and, in fact, I have already arranged, at the request of the Variety Artists' Federation, for a deputation to be received.

Will the right hon. Lady also consider the abolition of foreign music as well in this country?

asked the Minister of Labour how many bands composed of alien musicians have been permitted to enter this country since the present Government came into office; and what were the corresponding numbers in the previous three years?

I am having this information extracted and will circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Minister of Labour whether it is intended to make special provision at Employment Exchanges for dealing with the juveniles who will come under the unemployment insurance scheme for the first time in the event of the Unemployment Insurance Bill becoming law; and, if so, whether she can state the nature of the proposed arrangements?

The Clause in the Unemployment Insurance Bill to which the hon. Member refers will not come into operation until 1st April, 1931, at the earliest. Adequate arrangements will be made in due course to deal with the additional work involved.

asked the President of the Board of Education (1), if the means test for parents whose children are affected by the compulsory raising of the school age will be on the same lines as the present means test for old age pensions;

I will answer these two questions together by referring the hon. Member to the answer which I gave him on 23rd January.

I am not asking the same question in No. 35 as in No. 33. In No. 35 I ask whether the maintenance grants for school children will be the same in urban and rural districts.

I am afraid that the answer is the same, that I cannot say anything until I have had advice.

Will the regulations be national in scope and application, or will they vary at all in the localities?

I cannot say anything until I have had the report.

asked the President of the Board of Education if he proposes to take powers to compel such local education authorities as refuse to do so voluntarily to contribute their quota of 40 per cent. towards maintenance grants for school children?

The Bill which I have introduced provides that it shall be the duty of local education authorities to take the necessary action in this matter, and the Board's grants to an authority are, of course, conditional on the authority performing its statutory duties.

Do we understand that local education authorities, which have passed resolutions objecting to the compulsory raising of the school age, will be forced to pay their quota of 40 per cent. whether they like it or not?

They will have to do whatever Parliament decrees.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that local authorities consider that the Government grant is totally inadequate?

I know that there are a good many local authorities that would like to have it higher.

Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind the special difficulties of the distressed areas?

asked the President of the Board of Education if he has received the Report from the North Riding Education Committee respecting the provision of a secondary school for the Eston Urban District; and what action he proposes to take in the matter?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave him on the 5th December last. The authority's programme for the next three years has not yet been received, but I expect that it will be submitted shortly.

asked the President of the Board of Education the number of grant-aided secondary schools that have established cadet corps in connection with the schools?

The number is 87.

Is the number increasing or decreasing?

I cannot say. My hon. Friend had better ask the Secretary of State for War.

asked the President of the Board of Education the number of voluntary schools which are listed as defective or no longer suitable; and the number of children in average attendance at those schools?

The total number of voluntary schools remaining on the black list is 1,323. The total number of children on the registers of these schools on the 31st March last was 318,892.

Will the Minister say whether the circumstances in which these children are attending school daily do not call for immediate action on the part of the Government who are responsible?

Pressure is constantly being put on in order to improve the situation.

Is the Minister aware that in one of these schools there has been a grave outbreak of disease only a fortnight ago, involving the death of one or more children; and will he make inquiries?

I should be glad if the hon. Member will give me details.

In how many of these schools, or in what proportion, is provision being made for dealing with defects.

I could not say without notice.

asked the President of the Board of Education what is his estimate of the total number of additional men teachers required in view of the raising of the school-leaving age on 1st April, 1931?

As I have previously explained, the additional number of teachers required (both men and women) will depend on so many factors that I must wait until the programmes of local education authorities for 1930–33 have been examined before giving an estimate.

How can the right hon. Gentleman estimate that there are not enough being trained, if he does not know how many will be required?

This is an estimate, not a certainty.

Can the right hon. Gentleman give any estimate?

"Answer."

Is the right hon. Gentleman experiencing any difficulty from training-schools, with regard to additional new entrants?

No, Sir.

asked the President of the Board of Education what is the total number of additional men selected to take a post graduate course to qualify as teachers by midsummer, 1931?

I am not yet in a position to give this information, as it will be some time before the Training Colleges and Departments complete their selection of candidates to be admitted next autumn.

As the right hon. Gentleman has said that it would take some time, can he now state how long, and also what is the cause of the delay?

There is no delay in this particular matter.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he is satisfied with the results of the pro vision of State scholarships; and whether he will consider enlarging the number awarded each year?

The system of State scholarships at Universities for pupils from State-aided secondary schools was introduced in 1920 and, after a short suspension, was reintroduced in 1925. We have thus had nearly 10 years' experience of the working of the system, and I have no hesitation in saying that it has fully justified itself. There are 200 State scholarships awarded annually. Only 11 per cent. of the scholars have failed to obtain either a first or second class honours degree. The subsequent careers of scholars who have already finished their course have, I have ascertained, been generally very satisfactory. Since 1920 the number of entrants for the scholarship examinations has increased from 1,090 to 3,919 in 1929. I have made inquiries from the examining bodies who award the State scholarship, and I am assured that the number of candidates at their examinations who reach the standard for a scholarship is considerably greater than the number of scholarships available. I accordingly propose to increase the number of scholarships available for award each year by 50 per cent., making the number 300 instead of 200. This increase will come into effect this summer.

Could not the conditions under which these -scholarships are awarded also be improved?

I should be glad of any suggestion with regard to details in connection with that matter. There may be some improvements possible.

Can the Minister indicate to the House what will be the cost of this scheme?

If the hon. Gentleman puts down a question, I will give him the information.

Will the Minister consider the desirability of allowing these scholarships to be taken at any college or University, or University college?

I will consider that question.

Is the right hon. Gentleman satisfied that the country can afford these bursaries?

Certainly, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer is satisfied.

asked the Prime Minister when it is proposed to take the Second Reading of the Education (School Attendance) Bill?

I am unable to give any undertaking in the present condition of business as to a date for the Second Reading of the School Attendance Bill; but, as has already been stated, the Government intend to secure its passage into law before the end of the year.

Is the Prime Minister aware that unfortunately some local authorities, including, I understand, London, are refusing to make the necessary provision for the extra year in the school age, either by the training of the necessary teachers or the provision of the necessary buildings until the Bill becomes an Act of Parliament—in other words, until they are compelled?

Can the right hon. Gentleman indicate to the House in round figures what will be the cost to the State?

That is quite obviously a question that should be addressed to the Department.

We have tried that.

My hon. Friend must persevere. With reference to the other question, that again ought to be addressed to the Department. My responsibility is for providing time for the Bill.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there is very considerable doubt in the country, possibly regrettable doubt, as to whether the term of the present Government will be long enough to permit of the introduction of that Bill?

asked the Minister of Health if he is now in a position to state the decision of the Government with regard to the taking over of property in connection with slum clearance?

I must ask the hon. Member to await the proposals for legislation which I hope will shortly be laid before the House.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say when these proposals will be laid before the House, as last July we were told that the matter was under active consideration?

Will the right hon. Gentleman inform the House in the meantime if housing schemes in connection with slum clearance are being held up owing to the Derby judgment; and has he given any instructions in that matter to local authorities?

In reply to the last question, certain schemes are now being held up because of the decision of the Courts. I hope this matter will be dealt with by legislation subsequently. With regard to the supplementary question of the hon. and gallant Member for Lewisham (Sir A. Pownall), I can give no date, but I welcome his enthusiasm with regard to a long neglected question.

asked the Minister of Health whether he proposes to take any steps by way of declaratory legislation or otherwise to obviate the holding up of the approval and carrying out of housing schemes by reason of the judicial decisions in the so-called Derby and Liverpool cases?

I would ask the hon. Member to await the proposals for legislation which I hope shortly to submit to Parliament.

Is the right hon. Gentleman able to give an approximate date by which that legislation will be effective?

That is a question that might properly be put to the Prime Minister.

Then may I repeat it to the Prime Minister?

asked the Minister of Health what steps, if any, are taken by the Ministry where rural authorities fail to provide cottages in rural areas?

The need for the adequate discharge of their duties under the existing Housing Acts is impressed upon any local authority if I have any good reason to think that they do not recognise it. The whole question of rural housing is under consideration in connection with the new proposals which I hope shortly to lay before the House.

Has my right hon. Friend any reason to believe that some rural authorities are very much asleep in regard to providing the necessary cottages in many villages?

That may be true; I should be glad to investigate any cases which my hon. Friend might put before me.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there are some rural district councils which have not built a single house and have declined to do so, although representations have been made to them from time to time?

Is the right hon. Gentleman in consultation with any local authorities as to the new proposals?

Yes.

Will the right hon. Gentleman call the attention of the local authorities to a form of rural cottage called the Nash house?

Will the right hon. Gentleman tell us whether he proposes to take steps to push local authorities which are backward in the working of the Rural Housing Act?

asked the Minister of Health if he will consider the question of removing the injustices of the present tied-cottage system by introducing a short Bill to place service tenants on the ordinary basis of the Rent Restriction Act?

This matter will be considered in connection with any legislation amending the Rent Restriction Acts, but it will not be practicable to introduce further legislation for this purpose in the immediate future.

When the right hon. Gentleman is considering this question of houses dependent on jobs, will he also consider the matter of No. 10, Downing Street?

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that tenants of council houses in Croydon, which are let at rents too high for the average working man, are receiving poor relief and using part of it to pay their rents; and whether he intends to take any action in the matter?

I am informed that a small proportion of the tenants of the local authority are temporarily in receipt of Poor Law relief The amount of the rents to be fixed for the houses is a question for the council, and I do not think that the matter is one in which I can take any action.

Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that this is an extremely good way of giving relief according to need where required?

asked the Minister of Health the number of local authorities at present erecting houses by direct labour, and the total number of houses involved in these schemes; also similar figures for January, 1928, and January, 1925?

The number of local authorities in England and Wales who were erecting houses by direct labour at the 1st January, 1930, was 47, and the number of houses which they had already erected or were erecting by direct labour at that date was 21,164. The figures for 1st January, 1928, were 46 local authorities and 7,528 houses. Similar figures for the 1st January, 1925, are not available.

Has the right hon. Gentleman any figures, or can he give us any idea as regards the relative cost of the houses erected by direct labour?

The hon. and gallant Member had better put down a question on that point.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the importance of concentrating all housing efforts in the removal from the slums of the poorer families who cannot afford the rent of parlour houses, he will consider abolishing the subsidy under the 1924 Housing Act as regards parlour houses?

I am anxious that great efforts should be made to provide better accommodation which will be available for poor families living in bad conditions, but I do not consider that the activities can or should at present be limited to this aspect of the housing question. There is a need for the building of more houses by local authorities apart from the question of dealing with slums. And while I think that the greatest need is for houses of smaller type, I do not consider that local authorities should be debarred from building parlour houses, or that subsidy should not be available for such houses in proper cases.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there are very many cases of small families with incomes round about £8 a week living in these parlour houses, and that the very poorest families in the slums have to contribute through the rates to the subsidy on these houses, and will he take some steps to end this serious injustice and waste of public money?

I think the hon. Member had better await the Bill.

Does the right hon. Gentleman agree with the question that the abolishing of the subsidy would reduce the cost of the houses?

Not necessarily.

Does the right hon. Gentleman think it good to raise the general standard of houses throughout the country, and is not the parlour house, therefore, on the whole a good thing?

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the order he has made sanctioning the purchase by the Hampstead Borough Council of land at Edgware as a site for a cemetery overrides the Edgware town-planning scheme; whether the Edgware District Council have protested against the proposal and have suggested an alternative site; and whether he will suspend the order pending the holding of a local inquiry at which the district council and the residents can be heard?

No town-planning scheme has been over-ridden. An appeal was made to me, as was permissible under the town-planning provisions, against the refusal of the local council to allow the proposed cemetery. After carefully considering the case, including possible alternative sites, I came to the conclusion that I could not uphold the local council. I cannot now reopen the case. I may add that a local inquiry has already been held in the case, in connection with an application of the Hampstead Council for sanction to a loan.

Firstly, may I ask whether it was not a fact that the inquiry was a general inquiry and not one covering the over-riding of the Housing Order; and, secondly, will not the right hon. Gentleman, if he cannot hold a formal inquiry, receive a deputation from this council?

On the first point, of course the inquiry was rather wider than the particular point in question at the moment. On the second point, I would be very glad to see the right hon. Gentleman, but the question of a formal deputation is another matter.

May I not bring with me those who are intimately acquainted with this matter?

I am prepared to consider that, and I will give my right hon. Friend a definite reply.

asked the Minister of Health whether, under the forthcoming Housing and Slum Clearance Bill, he will consider the setting up of fair rent courts?

The setting up of fair rent courts would be an incident of rent restriction rather than of housing or slum clearance, and I have already indicated there is no possibility of introducing legislation for the amendment of the Rent Restriction Acts in the near future.

asked the Minister of Health how many houses have been built by the Belper Rural District Council; and in which parishes have they been built?

The Belper Rural District Council have built 55 houses, which are situated in the parishes of Denby, Duffield, Horsley, and Horsley Woodhouse.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether he has had any appeals by parish or rural district councils for more houses?

Personally, I have not heard of any, but I will make inquiries.

Has not the Holbrook Parish Council written protesting against the decision of the rural district council?

I have no personal knowledge of that, but I will inquire into it.

asked the Minister of Health if he can now give any information regarding the reconstitution of the Governing Body of the Seamen's Pension Fund and as to the proposed representation on that body of fishermen's interests?

The Scheme for the constitution of the Governing Body of the Seamen's. Special Fund has now been made and I am sending the hon. Member a copy. The various bodies empowered by the Scheme to do so, have been asked to submit nominations for membership of the Governing Body and up to the present, nominations have been received in respect of the members to represent classes of persons entitled to benefits out of the Fund, including a member to represent fishermen, but no nominations have yet been received in respect of the members to represent shipowners. Until all the nominations have been received, it is not possible to proceed with the formal appointment of the new Governing Body.

How many representatives of the fishing interest are to be included? Is that representation limited to one?

The representative of the fishermen will be one, and I may say that he is Mr. Walter Wood, the representative of the Scottish Fishermen's Approved Society.

asked the Prime Minister whether arrangements are being made for the sub-committee of the Civil Research Committee, which is inquiring into the fishing industry, visiting fishing ports and taking evidence from people of knowledge and experience in the industry?

I am informed that the sub-committee are making arrangements to obtain evidence from people of knowledge and experience in the fishing industry, and that where, in their view, it is desirable they propose to arrange for two or more of their number to visit particular ports. One such visit has already been made by the Chairman to Yarmouth.

Is the sub-committee in question now to become a sub-committee of the Economic Advisory Council, and, if so, will the membership remain the same?

This sub-committee will obviously finish its work and the new committee about to be appointed will he appointed under the new regime.

Will definite invitations be given to special societies, or are they expected to volunteer evidence?

If the hon. and gallant Member puts down a question, I shall be very glad to answer it, but obviously I cannot do so without notice.

asked the Minister of Health if he has received any representations with regard to the proposed grants to voluntary associations for the blind under the Local Government Act, 1929; whether he is aware of the difficulties in which voluntary associations will be placed if the balance of the grants due for the year 1929–30 are not paid; and if he will reconsider this part of the draft scheme?

I have received representations from various associations and have explained to them that they will receive a year's Exchequer grant from my Department during the present year, and that by the provisions of the scheme to be made under Section 102 of the Local Government Act they will receive a full year's contribution from the local authorities during next year, and so on. The continuity of the payments is thus preserved and the interests of the associations are safeguarded.

Will that carry out the pledges of the Labour party with regard to the blind?

That does not arise out of this question.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that under the draft scheme issued by him in connection with the Local Government Act, 1929, the grants payable by local authorities to voluntary associations for the welfare of the blind are based on the number of persons on their register on the 31st March, 1927; that the number on their registers on 31st. March, 1928, was higher; and whether, in view of the resultant diminution in income to these associations on this basis, he will consider the desirability of amending the draft scheme in this matter?

The basis of calculation referred to in the question has been adopted only in the case of the contributions payable to Counties Associations for the Blind, and these contributions form only a small part of the total contributions included in the draft scheme. As regards these contributions, the number of blind persons on the registers on the 31st March, 1927, was adopted as the basis of calculation because that was the basis on which Exchequer grants were made to these associations in respect of the standard year. As regards the last part of the question, I shall be prepared from time to time after consultation with the local authorities concerned to recon- sider the amounts of the contributions specified in the scheme if due cause is shown.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that certain workshops of the blind are introducing piece-work rates of wages; and whether, having regard to the fact that the speeding up of work in this way imposes great nerve and physical strain upon blind persons, this change in policy has his approval?

This method of remuneration is adopted in practically all the workshops for the blind in England and Wales, and I think it should be given a fair trial in those in which it has recently been introduced.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is able to state the number of local authorities that submitted schemes for the exercise of their powers under the Blind Persons Act, 1920, Section 2, within 12 months of the passing of the Act; the number of local authorities that submitted such schemes at subsequent dates; the number of such authorities that are providing or maintaining workshops, hostels, homes, or other places for the reception or training of blind persons; and the number of such authorities that are contributing towards the provision and maintenance of workshops, hostels, homes, or other places for the training and reception of blind persons?

Particulars as to the actual dates of submission of these schemes are not readily available, but the majority of the local authorities submitted their schemes within 12 months of the passing of the Act and practically all of them within two years. Four-local authorities have themselves provided, and are now maintaining, workshops, hostels or homes for the reception of blind persons, and 17 have contributed towards the provision of such workshops. The large majority of local authorities contribute towards the maintenance of workshops, hostels or homes which have been provided by voluntary bodies. Any question as to the training of blind persons should be addressed to my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Education.