§ 4. Mr. Boydenasked the Minister of Public Bui ding and Works if he will devise an index of building work in progress and completed compiled on a comparable basis for each month, or convenient period, and so constructed as to show the amount of work being done and completed in the main branches of the industry.
§ Mr. SharplesI am grateful to the hon. Member for his suggestion. We will bear it in mind in the consideration 207 we are now giving to the improvement of statistics about building work.
§ Mr. BoydenI am very glad to hear that Answer and I hope that the Minister will pursue the matter with vigour. Is he aware that it is not much use getting the building industry to be much more scientific if the actual administrative controls are not equally scientific? Will he pursue this question with energy?
§ Mr. SharplesYes, Sir. We have recently set up an economic intelligence unit at the Ministry and the need is probably for better local information so that the trend of the load of work in different parts of the country can be seen more clearly.