HC Deb 23 February 1983 vol 37 cc923-4
14. Mr. Litherland

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will arrange to meet trade union representatives to discuss the problems of the civil engineering industry.

The Minister for Housing and Construction (Mr. John Stanley)

Department of the Environment Ministers regularly meet representatives of the civil engineering trade unions at meetings with the group of eight and at the economic development committees for building and civil engineering.

Mr. Litherland

Does the Minister realise that the financing of the infrastructure of this country is vital and that this vital industry is receiving, in real terms, decreasing finance? Does the Minister agree that he should not only listen to the unions but should take action that will get us out of this economic mess?

Mr. Stanley

The hon. Gentleman will be pleased to see that the figures for 1982, which were announced today, show that there was a 4 per cent. increase in real terms in new orders for construction last year. That shows that there is some revival of the construction side of the economy. I draw the hon. Gentleman's attention to the public expenditure White Paper, which shows that we are making a public expenditure allocation for construction programmes involving a 10 per cent. increase next year on this year's outturn. That represents an increase in real terms.

Mr. Latham

I welcome the figures that my hon. Friend has just given, because civil engineering is important to our infrastructure. Will he ensure that there is no underspending in Government Departments on civil engineering programmes?

Mr. Stanley

It is the wish of all my right hon. Friends that we try to make full use of the available allocations. That is very much the wish of, for example, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of Stare for Transport and others of my right hon. Friends who have direct responsibility for the capital investment programme. They are very much aware of that.