Written Answers
Public Works (Loans)
asked the Minister of Health if he will give a list of the large schemes for public works which have been submitted for his approval in the last three years.
The records of my Department do not enable me to furnish this information without lengthy investigation. The loans for public works, including housing, which have been sanc- tioned in the three years ended 31st March, 1933, amount to £167,025,000.
Royal Navy
Dockyard Employés
asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what has been the approximate annual economy effected by the introduction of the clock-ing-in system at Devonport, Chatham and Portsmouth dockyards respectively.
The clocking-in system is part of the scheme of revised accounting which has been introduced in the dockyards to secure more economical administration; but I regret that it is not possible to give any actual figures representing the economy effected by this particular measure.
asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty for what reason payment by results has recently been curtailed on old construction work in His Majesty's dockyards; and what is the aggregate saving which it is expected to obtain at the expense of the workers concerned through this change during the coming financial year?
I would refer the hon. and gallant Gentleman to the Written reply which I gave on the 28th inst, to the hon. Member for Gillingham (Sir R. Gower). Payment by results has been curtailed in recent years for the sole purpose of avoiding discharges. The second part of the question does not therefore arise.
Unemployment
Statistics
asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons on the register of the Stroud, Nailsworth, Dursley, and Wotton-under-Edge employment exchanges at the latest convenient date?
The following Table gives the information desired:Unemployed persons on the registers of the under-mentioned Employment Exchanges at 22nd May, 1933:
| Stroud | … | … | 1,315 |
| Nailsworth | … | … | 240 |
| Dursley | … | … | 235 |
| Wotton-under-Edge | … | … | 188 |
Dominions And Foreign Countries
asked the Minister of Labour what has been the reduction in the figures of unemployed persons in the United States, Canada, and the Irish Free State, and all European countries from 1st January, 1933, to 17th June or the nearest available date?
pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 29th June, 1933; col. 1640, Vol. 279], supplied the following statement;The following table summarises the information in the possession of the
| Country. | Nature of figure. | Number or percentage at 31st December, 1932, or first subsequent date.* | Number or percentage at latest date for which figures are available.* | Increase (+) or decrease (-) in the number or percentage during the period covered. |
| Great Britain and Northern Ireland. | Unemployed persons on the registers of Employment Exchanges. | 2,979,425 (23rd Jan.,1933) | 2,653,852 (22nd May,1933) | - 325,573 |
| Austria | Persons in receipt of unemployment benefit. | 367,829 (31st Dec.,1932) | 350,552 (30th April, 1933) | +17,277 |
| Belgium | Percentage unemployed among members of unemployment insurance societies. | 18·6 (31st Dec,1932) | 20·1 (1st April, 1933) | + 1·5 |
| Bulgaria | Estimated number of persons unemployed, based on figures compiled by the Labour and Social Insurance Council. | 22,745 (End of Dec, 1932) | 28,067 (End of March, 1933) | + 5,322 |
| Czechoslovakia | Applicants for work registered at Employment Exchanges. | 746,311 (End of Dec., 1932) | 797,516 (End of April, 1933) | + 51,205 |
| Denmark | Percentage unemployed among members of trade unions. | 42·8 (End of Dec, 1932) | 25·4 (End of May, 1933) | - 17·4 |
| Estonia | Persons registered as unemployed. | 13,727 (1st Jan 1933) | 14,512 (1st April,1933) | + 785 |
| Finland | Persons unemployed (including those employed on relief works). | 82,626 (31st Dec 1932) | 42,402 (31st May, 1933) | - 40,224 |
| France | Persons on the registers of Employment Exchanges. | 306,952 (31st Dec, 1932) | 297,608 (17th June,1933) | - 9,344 |
| Germany | Unemployed persons on the registers of Employment Exchanges, | 5,772,984 (31st Dec., 1932) | 5,039,512 (31st May, 1933) | - 733,472 |
| Hungary | Applications at public and private Employment Exchanges. | 78,020 (Jan., 1933) | 65,793 (April, 1933) | - 12,227 |
| Italy | Persons recorded as unemployed by the National Social Insurance Fund. | 1,129,654 (Dec, 1932) | 1,025,754 (April, 1933) | - 103,900 |
| Irish Free State | Applicants for work on the Unemployment Registers. | 95,577 (15th Jan.,1933) | 70,039 (15th April,1933) | - 25,538 |
| Latvia | Persons on the registers of Employment Exchanges | 17,314 (End of Dec, 1932) | 9,978 (End of April, 1933) | - 7,336 |
Ministry of Labour with regard to unemployment in each country at the end of December, 1932, or at the first subsequent date for which figures have been published, and at the latest date for which figures are available. In view of the differences in the bases of the statistics published in the various countries, the figures cannot properly be used to compare the actual level of employment in these countries, but they provide an indication of the extent to which unemployment in each country has increased or decreased in the period covered.
| Country. | Nature of figure. | Number or percentage at 31st December, 1932, or first subsequent date.* | Number or percentage at latest date for which figures are available.* | Increase (+) or decrease (-) in the number or percentage during the period covered. |
| Netherlands | Unemployed persons on the registers of Employment Exchanges. | 350,800 (End of Dec., 1932) | 274,194 (10th June,1933) | - 76,606 |
| Norway | Percentage unemployed among members of trade unions. | 35·2 (31st Dec, 1932) | 29·3 (30th April,1933) | - 5·9 |
| Poland | Persons registered at Employment Exchanges. | 220,245 (End of Dec, 1932) | 258,599 (End of April, 1933) | + 38,354 |
| Portugal | Unemployed persons on the registers of Employment Exchanges. | 21,001 (End of Dec,1932) | 29,240 (End of (March, 1933) | + 8,239 |
| Roumania | Unemployed persons on the registers of Employment Exchanges. | 38,471 (End of Dec, 1932) | 45,371 (End of Feb., 1933) | + 6,900 |
| Sweden | Percentage unemployed among members of trade unions. | 31·5 (31st Dec, 1932) | 26·1 (30th April, 1933) | - 5·4 |
| Switzerland | Applications for employment reported by the Federal Office of Industry Arts, Crafts and Labour. | 81,887 (End of Dec, 1932) | 60,894 (End of April, 1933) | - 20,993 |
| Yugoalavia | Unemployed persons on the registers of Employment Exchanges. | 14,248 (End of Dec, 1932) | 19,671 (End of April,1933) | + 5,423 |
| United States of America. | Percentage unemployed among members of trade unions affiliated to the American Federation of Labour. | 35 (Beginning of Jan., 1933) | 33 Beginning of May, 1933) | - 2·0 |
| Canada | Percentage unemployed among members of trade unions. | 25·5 (31st Dec.) | 24· 5 (30th April) | - 1·0 |
* The date to which the figares relate is shown in parentheses. | ||||
Fighting Services (Expenditure)
asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the total expenditure for the years 1931 and 1932, respectively, separately in each case, on the Army, Navy and Air Force?
The net expenditure on services provided for on Navy, Army and Air Votes, 1931, was as follows:
| £ | ||||
| Navy Votes | … | … | … | 51,083,031 |
| Army Votes | … | … | … | 38,623,757 |
| Air Votes | … | … | … | 17,873,602 |
| £ | |||
| Navy Estimates | … | … | 50,476,300 |
| Army Estimates | … | … | 36,488,000 |
| Air Estimates | … | … | 17,400,000 |
It will, of course, be remembered that these figures include expenditure other than that on the forces themselves, such as pensions for retired officers and men, civil aviation, etc.
Trade And Commerce
Commercial Agreements (Tariff Changes)
asked the President of the Board of Trade the number and amount of the reductions in the tariffs made on imports from this country into Sweden, Norway and Denmark as a result of the commercial treaties negotiated with these countries?
I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for East Fife (Mr. Henderson Stewart) on 1st June.
Fish Landings (British And Foreign)
asked the President of the Board of Trade what were the amounts of white fish of British taking landed in British ports during each of the last four years; and what were the amounts imported into this country from foreign sources during each of the same years?
| Description. | 1929. | 1930. | 1931. | 1932. |
| Total landings in Great Britain(a) of demersal fish of British taking. | Cwts. 12,323,882 | Cwts. 14,146,745 | Cwts. 13,888,232 | Cwts. 13,939,336 |
| Total imports (not of British taking) into Great Britain and Northern Ireland consigned from foreign countries (including Deep Sea Fisheries): | ||||
| Fish, fresh or frozen (other than herrings, salmon, eels, mackerel and shell fish. | 2,092,397 | 2,246,332 | 1,950,820 | 1,662,384 |
| Fish cured or salted, not canned (other than herrings and salmon). | 416,645 | 240,105 | 179,143 | 194,408 |
| Total imports of above descriptions of fish | 2,509,042 | 2,486,437 | 2,129,963 | 1,856,792 |
| (a) The landings in Northern Ireland are relatively insignificant. | ||||
Dress And Clothing Trades (Training)
asked the Minister of Labour whether his attention has been drawn to the shortage of girl machinists in the dress and clothing trades in Central London; and whether he will see what can be done to assist girls anxious to obtain training that would qualify them to enter this trade?
The following table shows for each year 1929 to 1932, (1) the total quantity of demersal fish of British taking landed in Great Britain, and (2) the total imports into Great Britain and Northern Ireland of similar kinds of fish, not of British taking, consigned from foreign countries (including Deep Sea Fisheries).
An investigation was set in hand some time ago and will, I hope, be completed in a few weeks' time. As soon as the results are available, I propose to examine them and consider, in consultation with representatives of the trades concerned, what action is necessary or practicable.