§ 12 and 24. Mr. Buchanan-Smithasked the Minister of Public Building and Works (1) why information is not available regarding building and construction firms in Scotland which have gone into liquidation in recent years; and if he ill make a statement;
§ (2) why information is not available regarding the number of building and construction firms in Scotland which have gone into liquidation in recent years; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. LoughlinRecords have not been kept in the form previously requested by the hon. Member. I have, however, now obtained limited information from the first quarter of 1969, which, with permission, I will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT. No information is available for other than limited companies.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithIn reply to an earlier Question the Minister said that he was not concerned about liquidation figures as pointers to the health of the industry. Will he accept that we in Scotland are concerned about the figures of liquidations of building firms in Scotland? Is he aware that 18,000 building and construction workers in Scotland, 9½ per cent. of our building labour force, are unemployed? We in Scotland want to see something done about this.
§ Mr. LoughlinI do not think that my right hon. Friend said that we were not concerned about liquidations anywhere. We are concerned about them. But we ask hon. Members to be careful about attributing liquidations and bankruptcies solely to the political climate.
§ Mr. MaclennanDoes my hon. Friend agree that information could never be entirely helpful in explaining these matters unless there is a full disclosure of accounts going back over the years, which the Opposition have always resisted, and that we should have to make very careful studies of managerial practices over that period of years?
§ Mr. LoughlinThat was precisely what I meant when I respectfully 1047 cautioned hon. Members about attributing liquidations and bankruptcies solely to political issues.
§ Following is the information:
| CONSI RUCTION INDUSTRY LIQUIDATIONS OF LIMITED COMPANIES BEGUN IN SCOTLAND |
||
| Compulsory | Creditors' | |
| 1969— | ||
| March Quarter | 2 | 7 |
| June Quarter | 3 | 5 |
| September Quarter | 1 | 9 |
| December Quarter | 1 | 7 |
| 7 | 28 | |
| 1970— | ||
| March Quarter | 9 | 5 |