HL Deb 19 February 1946 vol 139 cc753-5

7.18 p.m.

VISCOUNT STONEHAVEN

My Lords, I beg to ask the question which stands in my name.

[The question was as follows:

To ask His Majesty's Government—

  1. (1) The number of brickworks, closed during the war, still not in production on January 1, 1946;
  2. (2) The number of men usually employed in these works;
  3. (3) The total stocks held in the country on January 1, 1946 of—
    1. (a) facing bricks,
    2. (b) common bricks,
    3. (c) roofing tiles (other than asbestos).]

LORD HENDERSON

My Lords, the detailed figures asked for by the noble Viscount are as follows:

On January 1, 1946, 860 brickworks which had been closed during the war were still not in production. Before the war these 860 brickworks employed approximately 29,000 people.

The following stocks were held in the country on January 1, 1946:

  1. (a) Facing bricks, 47,554,000;
  2. (b) Common bricks, 929,272,000;
  3. (c) Clay roofing tiles, 31,000,000; concrete roofing tiles, 16,400,000.
The position with regard to the supply of bricks is giving some cause for anxiety and is receiving the continuous attention of the responsible Ministers. The Prime Minister has directed that brickfields are to be given priority in derequisitioning, and that every effort is to be made to clear those which are being used for storage and other purposes. There has been, and still is, difficulty in manning up the brickworks after licences to re-open are given, and increased allocations under the Class B scheme have been arranged for brickworks.

German prisoners of war are being employed in some brickworks, and the National Joint Industrial Council for the industry is making plans for the training of brickwork operatives. The net increase of labour in brickworks as a whole is running at present at the rate of about 1,000 workers a month.

During the war movement of bricks was restricted but transport restrictions are being lifted as from March 1, 1946. This is important in relation to possible local shortages, of which there have already been some instances.

VISCOUNT STONEHAVEN

I thank the noble Lord for his very full answer and for the additional information which he has also supplied.