§ 39. Mr. Porterasked the Minister of Works the estimated reduction in costings in the building trade in general and housebuilding in particular in the last 12 months.
§ Mr. EcclesThe cost of building, whether of housing or other types, has changed little in the last 12 months. The wage increase has been offset by a slight decrease in the price of materials and by some improvement in productivity.
§ Mr. PorterIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that, on the subject of this Question, his hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Housing and Local Government said at Norwich a little while ago:
… the building industry may easily find itself in a tough spot, because prices are too high"?The hon. Gentleman then went on to say—
§ Hon. Members: Speech.
645§ Mr. PorterHow many Speakers are there in this House, Mr. Speaker?
§ Mr. SpeakerThere is one, and this one does not like long supplementary questions.
§ Mr. PorterI thought that if I was getting out of order it would be your responsibility, Mr. Speaker, to tell me and not that of hon. Members opposite.
The point which I wanted to make was this. [HON. MEMBERS: "Question."] The same hon. Gentleman has said that,
To keep the industry healthy … rising costs must be brought down. Can it be done? Yes, if the building industry and the building materials industry want to do it.Those industries themselves must be responsible for bringing it down.
§ Mr. EcclesI have nothing to add to the information given by the hon. Gentleman.
§ 40. Mr. Porterasked the Minister of Works what reductions have been made in the cost of bricks, timber, light castings and cement used in house building during the last 12 months.
§ Mr. EcclesIn the 12 months to 28th February, 1953, there were increases in the price of bricks of 3 per cent. and of general builders' castings of 4 per cent. These increases were rather more than balanced by decreases of 8 per cent. in cement, 8 per cent. in imported hardwood and 10 per cent. in imported softwood.
§ Mr. PorterWill the right hon. Gentleman agree that the replies which he has given me show what little there was in the case put forward at the General Election that if hon. Members opposite were returned to power they would bring prices and the cost of living down? Is he aware that the prices of these things enter into the cost of living and that the Government have not brought them down?