§ 80. Rear-Admiral ADAIRasked the Secretary for Scotland whether he is satisfied as to the sufficiency of labour of all classes to meet the Scottish schemes of housing already approved or in progress; and, if not, what steps He is taking to obtain this sufficiency?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of HEALTH for SCOTLAND (Mr. J. W. Pratt)I am informed by the Scottish Board of Health that they are not aware of any shortage of labour in connection with housing schemes already approved or in progress. They are in close touch with the divisional office of the Ministry of Labour in Edinburgh, to whom they send a note of all tenders authorised so that the labour requirements of the contractors concerned may be ascertained by the Employment Exchanges. For further information I may refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour to a question on the 30th June by the hon. Member for St. Rollox.
§ 81. Rear-Admiral ADAIRasked the Secretary for Scotland whether there is in sight a sufficient supply of building materials, such as bricks, timber, slates, window glass, sanitary fittings, etc., to provide for Scottish housing schemes already approved or in progress; and 551 whether the prices of these materials are subject to Government control so as to avoid any profiteering in connection with them?
§ Mr. KELLAWAYI have been asked to answer this question. There is a sufficiency of building material generally. The provision of slates alone offers ground for anxiety, but this is being overcome. Prices are not subject to control, but the Government has been able to make contracts on favourable terms for all the articles mentioned by my hon. and gallant Friend.