§ 44. Mr. Redmondasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is aware that many sections of the building industry are of the opinion that the application of metrication to bricks will have disadvantages; and what steps he proposes to take to meet these objections.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for the Environment (Mr. Paul Channon)I am not aware that the interim British Standard metric brick currently in general use has greater disadvantages than its imperial counterpart. Field trials in conjunction with the brick industry are to begin in 1972 to determine if a dimensionally co-ordinated size of brick would have advantages.
§ Mr. RedmondDoes my hon. Friend agree that not all sections of the building industry are happy about the desire to go metric? Is there not a great deal of confusion simply because we cannot get the promised White Paper from the Department of Trade and Industry? Will my hon. Friend use his influence with that Department to get the White Paper published so that we might have less tripe in kilograms from Mr. Bowen, Director of the Metrication Board?
§ Mr. ChannonI shall pass my hon. Friend's comments to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State.
§ Mr. MilneIs the hon. Gentleman aware that the timber trade is very advanced in the transfer to metrication and that this will have to be taken into consideration when he is discussing the question of metrication in the brick industry and the associated building trades?
§ Mr. ChannonI note what the hon. Gentleman says.