Oral Answers to Questions — Unemployment. – in the House of Commons at on 24 April 1929.
Sir Francis Fremantle
, St Albans
asked the Minister of Labour what were the numbers of unemployed persons in the building industry in January, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, and 1929, respectively; what are the latest figures; and what are the respective percentages of insured workers?
Mr Arthur Steel-Maitland
, Birmingham Erdington
As the reply includes a number of figures I will, with my hon. and gallant Friend's permission, circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a statement giving the available information.
Mr Harry Day
, Southwark Central
Is it not the fact that the numbers are greatly on the increase?
Mr Arthur Steel-Maitland
, Birmingham Erdington
No, the numbers are greatly on the decrease.
Mr Thomas Williams
, Don Valley
Will the right hon. Gentleman give the figure for 1929, so that we can test that statement?
Mr Arthur Steel-Maitland
, Birmingham Erdington
The figure for the 25th March, which I have here, is 101,000; the percentage of unemployed is 12.6.
Sir Francis Fremantle
, St Albans
May I ask whether the figures given in the answer include those for 1928, which date has been inadvertently left out of my question as printed, though it was put in the original manuscript?
Mr Arthur Steel-Maitland
, Birmingham Erdington
I assumed that the hon. and gallant Member wished to have the full series of figures, and I have inserted those for that year.
Lieut-Colonel Sir Godfrey Dalrymple-White
, Southport
May I ask when the right hon. Gentleman will have figures later than those of 25th March?
Mr Arthur Steel-Maitland
, Birmingham Erdington
I have the figures by occupations towards the last week in each month, and they go out tolerably early in the next month. I shall be glad to publish them as soon as ever they are available.
The following table gives the numbers and percentages of insured persons classified as belonging to the building industry in Great Britain recorded as unemployed, in January of each year since 1924, and at 25th March, 1929, the latest date for which figures are available:
| Date. | Number Unemployed. | Percentage Unemployed. |
| 22nd January, 1923 | Comparable statistics not available | |
| 28th January, 1924 | 105,546 | 15.0 |
| 26th January, 1925 | 91,818 | 12.9 |
| 25th January, 1926 | 107,411 | 14.4 |
| 24th January, 1927 | 111,607 | 14.8 |
| 23rd January, 1928* | 137,401 | 17.3 |
| 21st January, 1929 | 159,219 | 19.8 |
| 25th March, 1929 | 101,069 | 12.6 |
| * From this date the figures relate to persons aged 16 to 64; previously the figures included persons aged 65 years and over. For practical purposes the percentages are comparable throughout. |
Sir Francis Fremantle
, St Albans
asked the Minister of Labour if the figures of insured workers unemployed in the building industry relate solely to those thrown out of work owing to a slackening in house building; and how far are the recent figures abnormal, due to seasonal variations, and to the prolonged frost?
Mr Arthur Steel-Maitland
, Birmingham Erdington
The statistics of unemployment in the building industry relate to the total number of persons engaged in that industry on the construction, maintenance, and repair of buildings of all descriptions, and do not relate solely to those thrown out of work through any slackening in house building. The figures for January and February of this year were abnormally increased by the severe weather conditions, and during March the percentage rate of unemployment in the industry fell by 12.2, from 24.8 per cent. at 25th February to 12.6 per cent. at 25th March. The figure for 25th March still includes a proportion of unemployment due to seasonal causes.
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.
