§ 13. Mr. Speedasked the Minister of Public Building and Works what steps he now proposes to take to ensure continuing financial stability in the civil engineering industry.
§ Mr. John SilkinI shall maintain my predecessor's policy of support for the longer-term planning of civil engineering work in the public sector.
§ Mr. SpeedIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that his predecessor acknowledged a particular responsibility of the Government in this, as 90 per cent. of all civil engineering work is for the public sector? As civil engineering contracts do not have fluctuation clauses, would he not agree that firm price contracts are wrecked by constant increases in S.E.T., and will he make further representations to the Chancellor of the Exchequer?
§ Mr. SilkinThe inclusion of tax fluctuation clauses is another question.
§ Mr. AshtonAs the rolling programme for roads forecast has been a success, will the right hon. Gentleman take steps to extend this sort of forecasting into other sectors of the civil engineering industry?
§ Mr. SilkinI am grateful to my hon. Friend. I agree that the development of rolling programmes has made headway, especially with roads. The economic development committees are examining the prospects of developing further applications of this technique.