Timber

HC Deb 12 February 1948 vol 447 cc560-1

34. Mr. Bossom

asked the Minister of Health how many houses under construction are being delayed in completion due to lack of timber.

Mr. Bevan

All houses for which approvals or licences have been given have timber made available to them when required.

Mr. Bossom

Just now the Minister said it was a question of timber being required, but a little while ago, when asked a question, he said there was enough timber for every house. How can it, therefore, be delaying houses?

Mr. Martin Lindsay

Is the Minister aware that timber merchants' yards are overflowing with timber and that the merchants are having great difficulty in trying to obtain additional storage space for the timber?

Mr. Bevan

I am glad to say that there are stocks of timber in this country, but they are not only for housing purposes. These stocks will be run down very rapidly indeed and we have to measure the provision of new houses not only by the stocks of timber immediately available, but by the stocks which will be available in a very short time.