Bricks

HC Deb 02 July 1975 vol 894 cc1454-7

15. Mr. Golding

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has of the number of bricks now stockpiled.

Mr. Freeson

The Department's provisional figure for stocks of bricks at the end of May 1975 is 841 million.

Mr. Golding

Is my hon. Friend aware that very long waiting lists for housing and redundancy among brick workers and building workers are completely incompatible? Is he aware that many of us on the Government side of the House are totally dissatisfied with the present efforts of the Department regarding housing?

Mr. Freeson

I am sorry if my hon. Friend is totally dissatisfied, though I would join with him in agreeing that we are far from satisfied in general with the efforts so far on housing. I hope he will note the fact that there has been a considerable increase in housing activity during the 16 months that the present Government have been in office. When we came into office we were at risk of about 200,000 or slightly more housing starts. We are now running at a level of over 300,000. That is no mean achievement, even if it is inadequate, in such a short period. We shall continue our efforts.

Mr. Eyre

Is not the Minister aware that nearly 160,000 men in the construction industry are unemployed? Is not this desperately worrying when at the same time there is an unsatisfied demand particularly in large towns and cities, by people who wish to buy small, new, low-priced houses? Will he urge local authorities to release more land to small builders so that they can help to use up the stock of bricks and provide for the needs of these people?

Mr. Freeson

On the first point, I would agree that we have a very serious situation in the construction industry as a whole. A very large part of the unemployment that has been growing in the industry relates not only to the slump in house building, which we inherited and which continues, although at a somewhat lower rate than previously. It relates to a cut-back in other activities, to restore which would require a major increase in public expenditure running into many hundreds of millions of pounds a year.

On the second point, about the attempt to get a better provision of small dwellings, we have taken a number of initiatives. We have issued a major policy circular which covers this ground. On the regional visits which I shall be starting tomorrow, this point will be pursued with a number of local authorities and with the building industry.

Mr. Stephen Ross

I welcome the Minister's last remarks, which are very relevant at present. However, cannot his Department do rather more to encourage local authorities to enter into schemes with private developers to produce the low-cost, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units which are so anxiously needed at present?

Mr. Freeson

We shall do more and more, but the hon. Gentleman will realise that our system of government provides for autonomous action by local authorities. We can create the resources, the policies and the legislation, and we can use our influence, but at the end of the day the decisions are taken by the planning authorities and the housing authorities concerned. I shall be continuing to use my best endeavours to get these policies adopted. They are of vital importance. A very high proportion—nearly 50 per cent.—of the households in this country are small, and we are not providing sufficiently for their needs.

Mr. Loyden

Is my hon. Friend aware that some time ago I wrote to our right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Industry on the very question of unemployment among building workers and the growing need for housing. I asked for a meeting between him and my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for the Environment and the Secretary of State for Employment. Will my hon. Friend give an indication that these three Departments will get together to look at what is now becoming a major problem in the housing sector?

Mr. Freeson

We are in constant touch between Departments. However, I must stress that as regards housing we shall push as vigorously as we can to get more housing starts of the right kind. We have had some success in the last 16 months. As regards the construction industry as a whole, however, it depends just as much on an increase in public expenditure, which at present is not available not only to my Department but to other Departments, in order to get under way the kind of contracts which would take up that unemployment. It is not merely a question of getting housing construction expanded, which we are certainly pursuing as vigorously as possible.