asked the Minister of Labour the number of men who have been taught bricklaying at the Birmingham and Dudley training centres during the 12 months ended to the last convenient date; and the amount of wages offered to these men when they have passed through their course?

During the 12 months ended 31st May, 1930, 206 men passed into employment from the bricklaying classes at the Birmingham and Dudley Centres. Of this number, 137 were placed in employment with builders on the understanding that they would have oppor- tunity of making further progress in that trade. The remainder were placed in or found employments of other kinds. The commencing wages varied from 10d. to 1s. 3d. an hour.

Can my right hon. Friend say why there is such a large discrepancy in the rates of wages?

That depends on their experience.

asked the Minister of Labour how many unemployed men are at present in training centres, and how many unemployed women are at present in training centres?

On 27th June, 4,637 men and 1,047 women were in training at centres administered or financially assisted by my Department.

Is there any prospect of a large increase of these numbers?

Yes, I hope so.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of man days estimated to be lost owing to unemployment during the 12 months ending 1st June, 1930; and how it compares with the figures for the preceding 12 months?

It is estimated that the total number of days of work, exclusive of Sundays and public holidays, lost through unemployment by insured persons in Great Britain was approximately 424,000,000 in the year ended 26th May, 1930, as compared with 397,000,000 in the previous year.

asked the Minister of Labour why instructions have been issued to certain Exchanges not to send the same men back to employers who seek to re-engage men?

No such instructions have been issued. If the hon. Member is aware of any cases in which Exchanges have acted in the manner suggested, I should be glad to have particulars.

asked the Minister of Labour whether she has received re- presentations regarding the need of a new Employment Exchange in Oldham; and, if so, whether it is proposed to proceed now with the erection of the building?

Yes, Sir. Plans of a new building have been prepared and the Office of Works are negotiating for a site. Building operations will be commenced as soon as the necessary preliminary work has been completed.

asked the Minister of Labour the percentage of unemployment, respectively, in the leather and fabric sections of the glove-making industry?

I regret that as "Glove-making" is included in the group "Dress industries not separately specified," separate statistics of the total number of insured persons, and the percentage unemployed in respect of the glove-making industry, are not available.

Is the right hon. Lady aware that the joint industrial council of the glove-making industry have published figures that it has no unemployed, and that the trade union officials refuse to accept new workers in the industry because they are afraid of unemployment if safeguarding is taken away?

I am not aware of that.

May I send the right hon. Lady the report for 1929?

With pleasure.

asked the Minister of Labour if her attention has been called to the inconvenience caused by the Employment Exchange at Hyde being in two separate buildings some distance apart; and if, in view of the effect this has upon staff arrangements, she is taking any steps to provide more suitable premises?

I am aware of the unsatisfactory accommodation provided for the Hyde Employment Exchange, and steps are being taken to provide a permanent building which will house all classes of applicants. The Office of Works are in negotiation for a site and plans of a new building have already been approved.

asked the Minister of Labour whether any further inquiry has been made into the case of Mr. T. S. Parsons, 1, Belgrave Road, Birmingham, following representations made to her Department on 7th May, regarding the fact that Mr. Parsons, who lays claim to a long period as an insured person and constant worker, always ready, fit, and normally seeking insurable employment, was disallowed benefit under the old Acts latterly, yet is refused benefit by the court of referees under the new Act?

Yes, Sir. The case was dealt with by letter to my hon. Friend on 24th June.

Will the Minister issue instructions to the local officials in order to make certain that this man will have insurance in accordance with the new Act?

My hon. Friend had better give me notice of that question.

asked the Minister of Labour whether her attention has been called to the case of Mr. R. Gold, Moseley Street, Birmingham, who, after serving his country in the Great War, entered industrial employment, became unemployed, was granted benefit under the Act of 1930, but recently was disallowed benefit under the transitional condition (b) of the Act of 1920; and whether she will look into the matter?

I am having inquiries made in this case and will let my hon. Friend know the result as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Labour the proportion of the numbers on the registers of the Employment Exchanges whose claims to benefit have been admitted under the new Act, and the corresponding proportion under previous legislation?

In the threemonths April to June, 1930, 93.2 per cent. of the persons on the registers had claims to benefit admitted or under consideration. The percentages for the corresponding periods in the years 1929, 1928 and 1927 were 84.4, 86.9, and 82.8, respectively. I am circulating a table giving further details.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps she proposes to take to make provision for applicants for unemployment benefit whose claims have been refused on the ground that they are not normally in insurable employment?

The conditions under which unemployment benefit may be paid are laid down by Statute, and I have no power to make payments in cases in which these conditions are not satisfied.

Is the Minister aware that very large numbers are being turned down as not being normally in insurable employment in Glasgow and other industrial centres, and is she not prepared, either by regulations or the prescribing of the evidence, to do something which will enable the people to get the benefit they ought to get?

I have made it clear to the House on many occasions, and there is a question on the Order Paper on the subject.

Is the right hon. Lady aware that "not normally insurable" is a phrase only operative under the transitional conditions, and that the courts of referees are bringing it under the statutory conditions, and enforcing it as one of the statutory conditions and not as a transitional condition? That is where the error takes place, and will the right hon. Lady put it right?

Does the Minister realise that the numbers she has given will cause very serious difficulty to critics of the Government outside this House?

asked the Minister of Labour the number of men and women who are estimated to have received unemployment benefit owing to the abolition of the not-genuinely-seeking-work condition; and the number of men and women who have been refused benefit since the coming into operation of the new Act on the ground that they do not satisfy transitional condition (a) of the Act?

The number of persons estimated to have been brought on to benefit owing to the combined effect of all the changes made by the recent Act is about 170,000; I cannot give separate figures for the change involved by the abolition of the "genuinely-seeking-work" condition, or other amendments taken separately. During the period 13th March to 9th June, 1930, the claims of 4,684 men and 1,499 women were disallowed by courts of referees on the ground that the applicants had not paid eight contributions in the previous two years, or 30 at any time.

asked the Minister of Labour the latest figures for claims either newly made or reviewed at each of the Glasgow Exchanges, and the number in each refused as not being normally in insurable employment?

I will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a statement giving the information desired.

asked the Minister of Labour the reason why the number of persons refused benefit as not being normally in insurable employment has increased by such a large number under the recent Act, seeing that this Section of the Act has not been altered from past Acts?

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply given on 3rd June to a similar question by the hon. Member for the Camlachie Division (Mr. Stephen).

Is the Minister aware that in that answer she gave us no reason why the numbers are so abnormally increased as compared with the numbers under the previous Acts, although the Statute remains the same? Will the right hon. Lady not consider giving the reason, and if she cannot give it in detail in reply to a question, will she consider issuing some form of statement explaining the exact position?

I will certainly do my best; I have been doing my best to explain the exact reason.

But in view of the widespread concern in all quarters, will the right hon. Lady not consider issuing some statement as to the reasons why this is happening?

Will the right hon. Lady take into consideration the fact, which I mentioned in my previous supplementary question, that the courts of referees are enforcing as a Statutory condition what actually appears in the Act only as a transitional condition, and will she draw the attention of the courts of referees to the fact that they are not administering the Act?

I will consider what the hon. Member has said, and if there is any information which I can give on that point, I will certainly give it.

asked the Minister of Labour if she has made any inquiry into the decisions made by courts of referees which are at variance with the umpire's decision on a person not being normally in insurable employment; if she is satisfied with the present position; and if she proposes any alteration in the procedure in these cases?

As my hon. Friend knows, the procedure for deciding claims to benefit is fixed by Statute. I have no power to inquire into decisions given by courts of referees and if I were to do so I should be attempting to re-introduce the system of Ministerial discretion which formerly existed and which Parliament abolished. The procedure generally as set up by the recent Act will no doubt need to be reviewed in due course, but it would be premature to do so yet as it has only been working since last March.

But does the right hon. Lady take any steps to see that where the decisions of courts of referees are at variance with the umpire's decisions, which are the law on this subject, that the umpire's decision is carried out? Is no action taken by her or her insurance officer acting on her behalf?

If the hon. Member means to ask whether I follow the umpire's decisions and ascertain whether these are, in fact, disregarded, certainly I do. It is the duty then of the insurance officer to direct the attention of the court to the umpire's decision.

When courts of referees act in variance with the umpire's decision, does she or her insurance officer take any steps to see that these cases are submitted to the umpire for his decision?

That would depend very largely on the nature of the case. If it is a point of law, I think we should have the power; we should probably normally draw the attention of the court to the fact that it is in contradistinction to the umpire's decision; but if, as so often happens, it is a matter of local evidence, then the position is entirely different, and I have no right whatever to intervene or even to challenge the decision.

rose——

We must get on to other questions.

I beg to give notice that as soon as possible I intend to raise this question in the House.

asked the Minister of Labour if legislation will be forthcoming in the near future providing unemployment benefits to the people in the agricultural industry?

I am afraid there is no possibility of legislation this Session on this subject.

asked the Minister of Labour if legislation is contemplated to provide unemployment benefits to the people in the fishing industry?

Persons employed in the fishing industry are ordinarily insurable against unemployment, and therefore eligible for benefit subject to the usual conditions, unless they are members of the crew of a fishing vessel who are wholly remunerated by a share in the profits or the gross earnings of the working of the vessel. I cannot at present give any undertaking to introduce legislation dealing with this excepted class.

When the matter of extending the scope of Unemployment Insurance benefit is under consideration, will the right hon. Lady favourably consider this, because it is a matter of grave concern?

The question of the share fishermen has been considered by every Minister in turn, and there are very grave administrative difficulties, but I will consider it.

Is there any evidence that the share fishermen desire this?

They desired to contract out when the Act was first passed, but I think that their opinion has slightly changed.

asked the Mister of Labour whether, in view of the state of unemployment in Newcastle, the Government are taking any steps to induce the Cunard Company to give preference to the Tyne in giving the order for the new Cunarder?

No, Sir. I am afraid this is not possible.

Can the Minister say whether the Government have taken any steps with regard to contracts going to the Tyne?

It is not the function of the Government to intervene on the question of where contracts are to be placed. It is, however, our function, and we believe it is successfully dis- charged, to assist in securing work wherever any assistance can be given.

May I ask the right hon. Lady, with regard to a statement which has been published that she informed the hon. Member for West Newcastle (Mr. Palin) that while she could not make a definite promise, there was a good prospect——

We cannot pursue this subject.

I beg to give notice that at the earliest opportunity I will raise this question on the Adjournment.

asked the Minister of Labour how many foreign diamond workers have been allowed to take up employment in England since 1st January last, and for what periods?

No alien diamond workers have been given permission to take up employment here this year.

If I give the Minister some information which points to the contrary, will she go into the matter?

Certainly, I shall be very glad to have it.

asked the Prime Minister whether he has had under consideration the proposal of Mr. Albert Thomas, director of the International Labour Office of the League of Nations, to hold a special world conference to deal with the problem of unemployment; and what action, if any, he intends to take in the matter?

I understand that suggestions to this effect were mentioned by the director in the course of a speech surveying the work of the office, but so far as I am aware no specific proposal on the subject has been made by him.

Will the Prime Minister consider the desirability of himself taking action along these lines and calling such a world conference?

At the moment I cannot see any really effective result from it. That is according to my present information.

Would it not be more to the point if the Prime Minister did something about unemployment in this country first?

asked the Prime Minister if he proposes to ask the House to consider any emergency legislation relating to unemployment before the Summer Recess?

asked the Prime Minister whether he is now in a position to state if any emergency legislation will be required this Session in connection with the plans of the Government for the relief of unemployment?

Yes. I hope the Bill will be put down for Second Reading at an early date, probably next week.

Has the permission of the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Carnarvon Boroughs (Mr. Lloyd George) been obtained?

When does the right hon. Gentleman intend to begin to implement the promises which he gave at the General Election?

Is the statement correct that this emergency legislation for unemployment will necessitate the House sitting into the second or third week in August?

asked the Minister of Health whether he will lay upon the Table of the House the statements given to the representatives of local authorities outlining the proposals of the Government in respect of grants towards the cost of employment schemes?

The Command Paper containing the statements in question will be issued to-morrow.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of men and women in receipt of able-bodied relief in Glasgow and Govan parish for each week since the coming into operation of the new Unemployment Insurance Act to the latest available date?

Only monthly figures are available and, with my hon. Friend's permission, I propose to circulate it the OFFICIAL RETORT a statement giving the particulars for the months of March, April and May last.

Will the statement show whether it is the case that within the last month there has been a very large increase in the number of those obtaining able-bodied relief, and can the right hon. Gentleman tell us the reason for that?

asked the Minister of Labour if she is now in a position to state the policy of the Government with regard to the position of domestic servants?

I have nothing to add at present to the replies which I have already given to the hon. Member and others on this subject.

I beg to give notice that at an early date I will call attention to the matter on the Adjournment.

asked the Minister of Labour into how many trades the insured occupations are subdivided by the Ministry of Labour for the purpose of their monthly analysis of employment; in how many trades is there a decrease of unemployment in the latest figures as compared with the corresponding period for last year; and in how many has there been an increase?

I am aware of that fact, and deal with it in my reply to the question.

Am I to understand from the right hon. Gentleman that in the reply he explains why there is this large increase, and if it is due to the fact that so many people are not getting unemployment insurance benefit?

I have already explained that I have dealt with the matter in my reply.

For the purpose of statistics of employment and unemployment, industry is divided into 100 groups. In two of these groups the figures for 26th May, 1930, showed a decrease as compared with the corresponding date last year in the numbers and percentages of insured persons unemployed.

In how many an increase?

Ninety-eight.

asked the Minister of Labour if she is aware that the maintenance allowance paid to Mr. Worlock, of Kingswood, near Bristol, on account of his housekeeper, has now been stopped on the ground that Mr. Worlock's son is now aged 20; that the son is suffering from arrested growth and has remained a child all his life, and that the case is incurable and the child must have attention day and night; and will she reconsider the case?

The conditions under which these allowances may be given are fixed by Statute and are not within my control. The case referred to was submitted to the Umpire, and I am sending the hon. and gallant Member a copy of his decision.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the increasing number of motor accidents, fatal and otherwise, during week-ends; and whether, in conjunction with the Minister of Transport, he proposes to take any steps to deal with this matter?

I am aware of the increase in number of such accidents and the police and traffic authorities are giving constant attention to possible measures for dealing with the position. My hon. Friend the Minister of Transport will be able to investigate and analyse the causes of such accidents under the powers proposed to be conferred on him by the Road Traffic Bill.

Apart from any fresh legislation, does not the right hon. Gentleman think that something might be achieved by a greater measure of control in co-operation with local authorities and associations during the crowded period of the year?

It is no good asking Ministers for their opinions at Question time.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he will consider taking action along the lines indicated?

I can only that the greatest vigilance is exercised. This is a matter of life and death, and we continually appeal to all to exercise the greatest care to avoid accidents.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he has obtained a report from the London Traffic Advisory Committee upon the introduction of trackless trolleys into the London traffic area; and, if not, whether he will obtain such a report and circulate it so that, if possible, it may be available before the London United Tramways Bill is submitted for Second Reading?

The London United Tramways Bill, in so far as it proposes the introduction of trackless trolley vehicles in the London traffic area, has been considered by the London Traffic Advisory Committee, from whom I have obtained a report. It is not the practice to publish reports made to me by the Advisory Committee on Private Bills, but, after considering the Committee's observations, I prepared a report for the Committees of both Houses dealing with this Bill.

When will that report be available?

The report is now before the other House, and it will no doubt come before this House when the Bill is before it. If the hon. Member would like a copy of it, I shall be happy to send him one at once.

Thank you.

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether he can furnish any statistics of the number of vehicles using the Outer Circle of Regent's Park as a relief road to the Marylebone Road?

I am informed that no census of vehicles using this road has been taken by the police.

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether, in view of the added attractions of Regent's Park, especially those lately devised for children, he will consider the advisability of making the necessary Regulation for safeguarding the public from the ever-increasing traffic dangers prevailing in connection with all the approaches to the park from the Outer Circle, either by the appointment of additional attendants or the institution of a speed limit of 12 miles an hour, as in Battersea Park?

The regulation of the traffic in the Outer Circle is generally in the hands of the police. My Department employs park-keepers at nearly all the principal entrances to the park, who assist pedestrians in crossing the road. I am considering whether any further assistance of this kind is needed. A fresh Regulation has recently been allowed by Parliament imposing a limit of 20 miles an hour for the Royal Parks. This I consider a more reasonable limit of speed for these roads than that suggested by the hon. Member.

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether, in view of the widening of the Marylebone Road and Park Road, it is any longer necessary for the Outer Circle of Regent's Park to be used as a relief road to those thoroughfares; and whether he will consider the possibility of reverting to the traffic regulations which formerly existed within the area of the park?

I consider that it would be inconvenient to the public to exclude from the Outer Circle traffic which has been using it for very many years. As to the latter part of the question, I know of no alteration which has been made unless it be the withdrawal some 10 years ago of the speed limit of 12 miles an hour, which it was found, in practice, impossible to enforce.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether his attention has been called to the case of Cyril Ford, aged 12, Raglan Road, Broad Street School, Bromley, Kent, who was forcibly given treatment to his eyes in May, 1930, by the representative of the school medical officer without the consent of his parents; and under what authority was this treatment given?

I am informed that this boy was found at medical inspection to be suffering from a severe defect of the eyes and that he subsequently, with the full knowledge of his parents, attended the school clinic for a more thorough examination. Drops were put in the boy's eyes in the usual way to make the examination possible, but no treatment was given. The parents were then advised that the boy needed

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the Government contemplate bringing in a factory Bill next Session?

I have already answered questions on that matter. I am hopeful that the hon. and gallant Member will find the Bill in the list next Session.

asked the President of the Board of Education what is his estimate of the annual cost of maintenance allowances on the proposed scale payable to parents of children in the last year after the anticipated raising of the school-leaving age, but without any means tests for working-class parents as defined in the Housing of the Working Classes Acts?

I have been unable to obtain any data on which to base a reliable estimate of the proportion of parents who belong to the working classes as defined in the Housing Act, 1925, and I am, therefore, unable to give any estimate of the cost of awarding maintenance allowance to the children of such parents without a means test. The annual cost of awarding maintenance allowances to all the children in the schools, aged 14 to 15, at five shillings a week, without any means test, would amount to about £5,000,000 in the first full year after raising the leaving age.

Could not the right hon. Gentleman give some short account of the happy gathering which he addressed yesterday on this matter?

Do I understand that the Minister of Education was at a Conservative meeting?

asked the President of the Board of Education the estimated annual cost of providing maintenance allowances of 5s. per week for children between 14 and 15 years of age in attendance at secondary schools whose parents are exempted from Income Tax?

The Board's records do not include particulars of the numbers of children in secondary schools classified so as to show whether their parents are exempted from Income Tax, and I am, therefore, unable to give the estimate for which my hon. Friend asks.

asked the President of the Board of Education the estimated annual cost to the Board and the local authorities, respectively, of providing the existing facilities for secondary education free up to the age of 16, and up to the age of 18 years?

If the amount now paid by parents and guardians in secondary school tuition fees were to be replaced from public funds, the estimated annual cost would be about £2,500,000 in respect of pupils up to the age of 16, or about £2,800,000 in respect of pupils up to the age of 18. In view of the different methods in which secondary schools receive assistance from public funds, it is not practicable to state how this cost would be shared between the Board of Education and the local authorities.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he is continuing his negotiations with those interested in the non-provided schools over the new educational proposals?

In view of the favourable reception in most quarters of the proposals to deal with voluntary schools, I intend, in the interval before the next Session, to renew the discussions in order to ascertain whether any larger measure of agreement is possible, consistently with maintaining the cardinal features of the suggested arrangement.

asked the Minister of Health if he will consider the question of introducing legislation for the purpose of making provision for persons who were insured workers, and who became exempt from insurance for various reasons, to enable them to re-enter insurance and thus qualify for pension and other benefits?

Provision is already made in the National Health Insurance Acts whereby persons who cease for any reason to be insurably employed may elect to become voluntary contributors for health and pensions insurance purposes within a certain time after so ceasing to be employed. Moreover, under the Contributory Pensions Act, 1925, persons who had ceased to be insured persons before that Act came into force were given the opportunity of becoming voluntary contributors in order to qualify for pensions and health insurance benefits.

asked the Minister of Health whether the committee of investigation into the causes of the increased sickness and disablement claims amongst insured persons has completed its deliberations?

No, Sir. The committee is still actively engaged in its investigation of the problem.

When does the right hon. Gentleman anticipate that he will receive its finding?

When the question was raised on the Vote, I explained that it would mean investigating a very large number of recent claims, and would undoubtedly take some time.

Will the right hon. Gentleman submit the findings of the Committee to the House?

I will see that they are in some way communicated, but I cannot undertake, before I see the report, to say whether it will be published.

asked the Minister of Health if he will cause inquiry to be made into the case of Mrs. Margaret Webster, whose husband and five children live at Woolwich, who was transferred from Hanwell to Abergavenny mental hospital on 18th December, 1929?