§ 39. Mr. Trewasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will now permit some provision in fixed-price building contracts to compensate 573 contractors for unforeseeable and disproportionate increases in the costs of key materials.
§ Mr. TrewWould my right hon. Friend consider that if he were to relieve builders of the more extreme risks of firm price tendering in the limited way which I suggest he would almost certainly get keener tender prices and save the Exchequer money?
§ Mr. AmeryI have been carefully studying my hon. Friend's suggestions and several others which have been put to us. We still see no reason to vary our present policy, but, as I have assured my hon. Friend previously, we are keeping this matter constantly under review.