HC Deb 30 January 1967 vol 740 cc20-1
30. Mr. Channon

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what discussions he has had with the building materials industry about the production of and demand for building materials in 1967.

Mr. Prentice

I met representatives of the building materials producers on 12th January and discussed with them the position concerning production and demand.

Mr. Channon

Would not the Minister agree that, in view of the past fiascos in this field, it is valueless to have a global target for protection five years in advance, unless he can produce some indication of housing starts for the years in between? Will his Department now prepare public estimates for the years 1967–70 so that the brickmakers can know what the Government's estimate of housing starts is likely to be in those years?

Mr. Prentice

I take the point that the building material producers want to have as much information as possible. That is what we are working on. As the hon. Gentleman says, the actual number of housing starts is more important than targets. These are the important things to the building material producers. Therefore the measures we are taking to stimulate private housing starts will be valuable to the building material producers as well as those waiting for homes.

Mr. Blaker

If the Minister believes, as he said a few moments ago, that the best way of dealing with the problems in the brick industry is to keep in touch with the industry, rather than by fixing targets for every year, why did the Government give such tremendous publicity to their targets for 1965–70?

Mr. Prentice

This was part of the National Plan and was appreciated as such. If hon. Members opposite did not think it was such a good idea, I wonder why they voted unanimously for the National Plan when it came before the House.