HC Deb 26 March 1964 vol 692 cc652-4
Q4. Mr. Wyatt

asked the Prime Minister whether the public speech of the Minister of Public Building and Works in London on 10th March on the subject of the National Economic Development Council represents the policy of Her Majesty's Government.

The Prime Minister

Yes, Sir. My right hon. Friend's remarks at a Press conference on 10th March dealing with other matters related to a report on the Construction Industry presented to the National Economic Development Council by its Director-General. My right hon. Friend developed his views in a speech representing Government policy in the debate on the building industry on 17th March.

Mr. Wyatt

Is not this a very odd situation? A very important body, of which the Chancellor of the Exchequer is chairman, approves and publishes a carefully prepared report making strong criticisms of the building industry. The Minister of Public Building and Works says that most of the criticisms are a lot of nonsense. Does the Prime Minister realise that if he agrees with the Minister of Public Building and Works he repudiates the Chancellor of the Exchequer? Should he not try to find out about it and which of his right hon. Friends is talking through his hat?

The Prime Minister

I have found out everything about it. I read my right hon. Friend's speech on that occasion and also his speech to this House at a later time. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Public Building and Works was simply saying that he did not agree with every aspect of the report. In particular, he said that the extent to which industrialised building systems were already being used for local authority housing and school building had not been taken sufficiently into account because he thought the report had been made too early.

Mr. H. Wilson

Will the Prime Minister say whether the action of the Chancellor of the Exchequer in presiding over this body and issuing the document represents the policy of Her Majesty's Government?

The Prime Minister

The document was a commentary. I do not know whether the right hon. Gentleman knows this. It was a report by the Director-General to N.E.D.C. In this report there were certain criticisms made of the building construction industry. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Public Building and Works was perfectly entitled to say, if he thought certain facts were not available to the Council, that he thought it ought to have had those facts before it reported.

Mr. Wyatt

Does not the Prime Minister realise that the Chancellor of the Exchequer was there when this report was approved and there was a junior Minister from the Ministry of Public Building and Works there who did not disagree? The report was published and later repudiated by the Minister of Public Building and Works. The Prime Minister seems to be on his side. He will have to make his peace with the Chancellor of the Exchequer. What is he going to do about that?

The Prime Minister

My peace is already made with the Chancellor of the Exchequer. There is no trouble there.