§ 8. Mr. Speedasked the Minister of Public Building and Works what estimate he has made of the effect of the Government's fiscal and monetary policies over the last 13 months on the construction industry.
§ Mr. MellishI cannot distinguish the effects of the Government's fiscal and 233 monetary policies from the effects of all the other factors which bear on the construction industry.
§ Mr. SpeedThat is not a particularly helpful Answer. Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that civil engineers and others working on fixed-price contracts have been gravely hit by rising S.E.T. in the last 13 months? What concern has he about this and what does he propose to do about it?
§ Mr. MellishI know all about civil engineers and fixed-price contracts. I have virtually had to live with this matter for the last few days. I am indeed concerned with the problem and I am having consultations with my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer. I hope that the hon. Gentleman will forgive me if I do not answer the part of his supplementary question concerned with S.E.T. because later Questions on the subject appear on the Order Paper.
§ Mr. Chichester-ClarkWhat has the right hon. Gentleman done within the Government about the suggestion made by my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow. Cathcart (Mr. Edward M. Taylor) in March that house builders should be put in the priority class for loans? Will he draw the fig leaf aside on this one?
§ Mr. MellishI do not know about drawing fig leaves aside, but certainly Achilles' weakness was his heel. I could not answer that question without notice. I have given an Answer to the Question I was asked; but I will certainly see if there is anything that we can do about housing as a separate entity.