§ Viscount WOLMERasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions how many bricks will be 777W required to fulfil the building programme of the Government; how many are now available; what the average pre-war output was; how many brickyards have been closed during the War; and what steps he proposes to take to encourage brick-making firms, small as well as large, to reopen their works?
§ Mr. KELLAWAYThe quantity of bricks required for the programme of 300,000 houses has been estimated at 5,500 millions to be used within the next two years. The stock of bricks now in hand amounts to about 200 millions. The average annual output for three years before the War was 2,805 millions. 1,400 yards, mostly small, were closed during the War. In order to help the trade, steps have been taken to ensure a proper supply of labour. The release of 2,400 pivotal men has bean arranged, and this whole of this number should be available shortly. Technical assistance is being given to enable those works which have been closed to reopen at the earliest possible moment, and to advise generally as to improved methods of manufacture. Orders have been placed already for about 350million bricks, and the Government is arranging with all firms who require it to make advanced payments for the output of the reopened works.