Oral Answers to Questions — Munitions. – in the House of Commons at on 27 April 1920.
Major Robert Barker
, Sowerby
asked the Minister of Labour what is the number of persons registered as unemployed; and how does this number compare with the number on the same date in 1914?
Mr Thomas Macnamara
, Camberwell North West
The number of persons on the Live Registers of Employment Exchanges at 16th April, 1920, was 359,139 (of whom 220,000 were ex-service men and women), compared with 106,472 at 17th April, 1914. The returns relating to members of trade unions show at the end of March, 1920, a percentage of 1.1 un-employed as compared with 2.2 at the end of March, 1914. The increase in the number on the Live Registers of Exchanges is largely accounted for by the greater use which is being made of Employment Exchanges at the present time, especially by demobilised members of the Forces. I may mention that during the eleven weeks ended 14th April, 133,000 were demobilised.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
