CAB129-37 — Page 805

Page 805

I

q

ชม 7

D

1 C

it

11

E

JA

Ex

Page 805 ·

=

D

ני

Page 805

Cinculated /13/12 (8.0am)

THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT

Page 896d for the Cabinet. December 1949

Printed

The circulation of this paper has been strictly limited.

Page 806 404

It is issued

Ann Norman Grodk

for the personal use of

TOP SECRET

C.P. (49) 247

10th December, 1949

CABINET

Copy No.

31

ECONOMIC REPORT

NOTE BY THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

I circulate a note on the more important statistics relating to the economic situation which have become available since my last Economic Report (C.P. (49) 225).

Treasury Chambers, S. W. 1,

10th December, 1949.

R. S. C..

ECONOMIC REPORT

I.-Man-Power

The total working population rose during October by 46,000 (15,000 males and 31,000 females). The size of the Forces was reduced by 6,000, and the number of men and women on release leave who had not yet taken up employment fell by 7,000 to 14,000 during the month. The number of registered unemployed rose by 34,000. The net result of these changes was that the number in civil employment increased further by 25,000.

2. Employment in the manufacturing industries increased by 42,000 in October. The number employed in metals, engineering and vehicles, which had been falling steadily since January, rose in September by 7,000 and in October by 11,000. Employment in textiles increased by 9,000--2,000 in cotton, 2,000 in. wool and 5,000 in other textiles.

3. The number of persons registered as unemployed in Great Britain rose further from 300,000 at 10th October to 323,600 at 14th November. The number of males who had been unemployed for more than 8 weeks rose between these two dates from 98,000 to 103,000. Unemployment, both of boys and of girls under 18, was lower than in October.

II.-Production

4. The general level of industrial production, after allowing for seasonal factors, continues to rise. The index of total industrial production (1946 = 100) rose in September to 132-8 points more than in September 1948. The index for

manufacturing industries was 136 compared with 127 in September 306 of 1097

37948