§ 63. Brigadier - General Sir HENRY CROFT (for Colonel Sir ARTHUR HOLBROOK)asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that bricks of foreign manufacture imported into this country rose from a total value of £18,000 in 1023 to more than £450,000 in 1925; that in the same period tiles imported rose in value from £93,000 to £430,000, cement from £395,000 to £540,000, and slate imports from £1,000 in 1920 to £85,000 in the last quarter alone of 1925; and whether he will take some action to safeguard the position of workers in English brickfields and tile manufactories?
§ Sir B. CHADWICKfigures quoted by my hon. Friend are, I understand, correct, except that the imports of slates for roofing in 1920 were valued at £46,000, and not at £1,000. With regard to the last part of the question, I would refer him to the answer given on 23rd March to the hon. Members for Norwich and St. George's, Westminster, of which I am sending him a copy.
§ Sir H. CROFTDoes not my hon. Friend think it intolerable that there should be this enormous import of foreign material produced at lower wage levels than in this country while we 854 have this enormous unemployment, and will he reconsider the whole question?
§ Mr. HARRISIs it not a fact that there is a great shortage of houses in this country and that these bricks are wanted to put into the houses?
§ Sir B. CHADWICKThe import of bricks is considerable and has been increasing, though relatively it is small compared with our home production, which is about twice what it was before the War.
§ Sir H. CROFTIn view of the fact that our policy is now to buy British goods, may we not have some indication of Government policy with regard to this question?
§ Mr. J. JONESIs it not a fact that we have in this country 6,000,000,000 bricks in stock in the various brickfields, and why cannot we use them up before we go on with this business?