§ Q5. Mr. Bryant Godman Irvineasked the Prime Minister what responsibilities regarding materials have recently been transferred from the Ministry of Transport to the Ministry of Public Building and Works.
§ The Prime MinisterSince May 1969, the Ministry of Public Building and Works has been the sponsoring Department for all building materials and aggregates: this includes certain materials (i.e. building stone, stone used as aggregate, and slag) for which responsibility was transferred from the Ministry of Transport; no change in statutory responsibilities was involved.
§ Mr. Godman IrvineWhat has led to this decision, and what is the right hon. Gentleman hoping to achieve by it?
§ The Prime MinisterThis was explained at the time that the transfer was made. It was felt that, because of the common usage both between the building industry and also the constructional industry's responsibilities for roads, it would be better for the responsibility for all these building materials, which raise many other wider questions—planning permission and so on—to be under one Department.