HC Deb 02 April 1957 vol 568 cc210-2
9. Mr. Partridge

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, if he will give details of the five projects on aspects of building practice on which the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research are collaborating with the Office of European Economic Co-operation; and to what extent in any of these fields common practice in the industry in the United Kingdom lags behind what our experts are advocating abroad.

Mr. H. Nicholls

In reply to the hon. Gentleman's supplementary question on 12th February, I named the five projects on which the D.S.I.R. is collaborating with O.E.E.C.

As the further details for which he asks arc lengthy, I will, with permission, include them in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mr. Partridge

I shall read the particulars with interest, but in the meantime can my hon. Friend tell me how the information is collected?

Mr. Nicholls

My hon. Friend will see, when he reads the Written Answer, that, apart from modular co-ordination, the other projects are concerned with the collection of information by individuals. In each case a report will be prepared by the individual and it will be published.

Following are the details:

  1. 1. Modular Co-ordination. The project on modular co-ordination is in two parts, the first of which has been completed and consisted of a survey of the work on modular coordination done in the participating countries, together with a study of the possible advantages that this work may have achieved. The report on this first part of the project was published by the European Productivity Agency at the end of 1956, and is on sale in this country through H.M. Stationery Office. The second stage, which is now in progress, will cover the building in the various participating countries of houses, etc. on modular principles. The design work has only just begun and there is no progress to report.
  2. 2. Prefabrication in house building. This project was carried out by a rapporteur in Western Germany, receiving information from the eight participating countries. The Building 211 Research Station acted as the collector of the information from various sources in Great Britain. The full report has not yet been published but there seems little doubt that, in this field, the United Kingdom has more experience than any other country.
  3. 3. Methods of organisation on building sites. This project is being carried out by the Building Research Station on behalf of the European Productivity Agency. An officer of this station is visiting a number of European countries to examine the methods of organisation used in those countries. He has had discussions with the National Association of Contractors and of Employees, and with a number of individual firms, and visits as many building sites as possible in the time available. It is expected that the survey will be completed by the end of this year.
  4. 4. The mechanisation of certain building operations. This project is being undertaken by the Director of the Western German Building Research Organisation, and the Building Research Station in the United Kingdom has undertaken to collect information from the industry in this country. The report ought to be available by the end of this year.
  5. 5. Production and distribution of concrete on building sites. A French rapporteur has been appointed to carry out this project, and the Building Research Station in the United Kingdom will provide the information from this country. The project will probably be completed by the end of this year.

10. Mr. Partridge

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, what definite conclusions have been reached on any of the five aspects of building practice under consideration by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research in co-operation with the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation; and what is being done to keep our own builders informed of the recommendations of these various committees.

Mr. H. Nicholls

No definite conclusions have yet been reached on the five projects. It is expected that reports will be published in due course. The information obtained by the Building Research Station in working on these projects will be made freely available to the building industry in this country in publications and lectures.

Mr. Partridge

Can my hon. Friend tell me what kind of distribution these reports will have?

Mr. Nicholls

The researches are published by O.E.E.C. and by the Building Research Station under the control of the D.S.I.R. Their results are circulated throughout the United Kingdom, either through journals or by lectures. This work is often undertaken in collaboration with Ministry of Works' staff.

12. Mr. Willey

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, what research activities are being carried on in co-operation with the Organisation for European Eeconomic Co-operation.

Mr. H. Nicholls

The reply which I gave to the hon. Member on 12th February covers all the research activities which the D.S.I.R. is carrying out in co-operation with the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation.

Mr. Willey

As this is a very fruitful field of European co-operation, will the Parliamentary Secretary do his best to encourage the expansion of these research activities?

Mr. Nicholls

Certainly, Sir. Since 1953 several hundred projects have been studied by the European Productivity -Agency of the O.E.E.C., and that will continue.