HC Deb 05 July 1965 vol 715 cc1101-3
15. Mr. Urwin

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what representations he has received from the building trade unions regarding the possible impact on traditional building methods arising from the increasing use of industrialised building systems; and what replies he has sent.

Mr. C. Pannell

None, Sir. I call the hon. Gentleman's attention to my speech to the National Federation of Building Trades Operatives on 16th June.

Mr. Urwin

While thanking my right hon. Friend for his reply, may I ask whether he will continue to bear in mind that while the building trades unions appreciate the absolute necessity for the supplementation of the building programme provided by traditional means, through the medium of industrialised building, there is, nevertheless, growing concern about the future of the tra- ditional section of the industry? Does he not think that the time is now opportune to give an assurance to that section of the industry that there will be a continuing demand and an increasing demand for traditional building and that there will be a flow of materials for it?

Mr. Pannell

On the first part of that question, my hon. Friend will appreciate that my roots are among the craftsmen of the engineering industry. I believe that the craftsman is the backbone of any trade or calling. I am very sensitive to all this sort of thing, and I would wish to keep in touch with the building trade unions as much as possible. The future of their craft and their calling are matters which have been built up over the years, and I am very sensitive to them.

Sir Knox Cunningham

Will the Minister not allow restrictive practices to hold up programmes in the building industry?

Mr. Pannell

The hon. and learned Gentleman has not even a nodding acquaintance with this sort of thing. There is always plenty of talk about restrictive practices in the building trade, but there is never any mention of the restrictive practices in the professions, such as a lawyer having to go into court with a No. Two and how much he gets for the job. All the professions have their restrictive practices. One finds them in medicine, and that sort of thing. I think that we had better address ourselves to subjects of which we have some knowledge.

Mr. Speaker

Mr. Urwin.

Sir Knox Cunningham

Will the Minister not turn his face against any restrictive practice?

Mr. Speaker

Order. Having come to the conclusion that we had had enough of that topic, I called the hon. Member for Houghton-le-Spring (Mr. Urwin) to ask the next Question.

17. Mrs. Renée Short

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will make a statement on the part played by his Department in the setting up of publicly-owned factories for the production of industrialised building components in developing districts.

Mr. C. Pannell

The principal obstacle to greater use of industrialised building is the need to organise the demand, not to supplement the supply. Capacity is ample.

Mr. Kershaw

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there is little point in supplementing the resources available until existing factories, such as the Reema factory at Tetbury, can get the materials which they need for their production?

Mr. Pannell

For once the hon. Gentleman and I are on the same beam.

Mrs. Short

Would not my right hon. Friend agree that there is every indication of the need for the Government to be able to control the supply and flow of industrialised house-building for houses and flats? Will he, therefore, consider the setting up of factories for industrialised house-building in those areas mentioned by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Power the other day, for example, where uneconomic pits are likely to close? Will he set up factories for the production of the units on lines approved by the National Building Agency?

Mr. Pannell

We have these things very much in mind. Fully exploited, the industrialised building industry could produce 50,000 dwellings a year. If we are asked why we do not do that, the answer is that we could not spare the labour on the building sites where it would be in competition, in the erection of these houses, with traditional forms of house building. Until that is fully exploited I do not think that I can go any further.