§ 3. Mr. Waddingtonasked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he will make a statement on the productivity of the construction industry since the suspension of building controls.
§ Mr. John SilkinBetween the fourth quarter of 1968 and the first quarter of 1969 productivity on all new work fell by about 5 per cent.
§ Mr. WaddingtonDo not these figures reveal that the industry has suffered a setback in spite of the abolition of building controls? Does it not appear to suggest that building controls when in opera- 380 tion were not serving any useful purpose and were not stopping the overheating?
§ Mr. SilkinI think that the figures show demonstrably that Great Britain has a winter. A fall of about 5 per cent. is not unusual.