HL Deb 13 December 1965 vol 271 cc482-3

2.42 p.m.

LORD GLENDEVON

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many bricks they expect will be held in stock at the end of this year.]

THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES (LORD MITCHISON)

My Lords, the question is: How many bricks Her Majesty's Government expect will be held in stock at the end of this year?" And the answer is, about 350 million.

LORD GLENDEVON

My Lords, is it not a fact that the Minister asked the industry for 8,400 million bricks, which he said were necessary to meet demand, and that he has now told us that he cannot guarantee that as many as 800 million will be needed. Is this not very unsatisfactory?

LORD MITCHISON

I should like notice of this statement attributed to my right honourable friend, the more so because I think that it must have been 8,400,000, not 8,400 million, which was what the noble Lord said. If the noble Lord will give me the details, I will gladly consider any question that arises out of it. Can I put it in this way?—the stock is approximately sixteen days' consumption at the present rate of use.

LORD GLENDEVON

My Lords, the point is that he asked for many more bricks than the industry intended to produce, telling them that this number would be needed to meet the demand, and now the demand proves to be much less.

LORD MITCHISON

My Lords, I should like notice of the brick that my right honourable friend is alleged to have dropped.

LORD HAWKE

My Lords, the noble Lord passes this off, but it is a serious question to brick makers. Are Her Majesty's Government prepared to guarantee that all the bricks they can produce will be used?

LORD MITCHISON

My Lords, this depends to some considerable extent on the British weather, which affects the rate, of building, and Her Majesty's Government are not prepared to guarantee the British weather.

LORD ERROLL OF HALE

My Lords, will the noble Lord not agree that the sad history of the stop-go policy of British brick making introduced by this Government—

SEVERAL NOBLE LORDS

No.

LORD ERROLL OF HALE

—does not inspire in the public any confidence in Her Majesty's Government's planning?

LORD MITCHISON

No, my Lords. The previous Administration at one period had too many bricks, and at another too few. This is likely to happen as long as the British weather is uncertain and the rate of building is thus uncertain, too.