Mr. T. WILSONasked the President of the Local Government Board whether any encouragement, and, if so, in what form, 783W has been given to manufacturers throughout the country to prepare materials for the building industry in accordance with the suggestion contained in the Report of the Building Materials Supply Committee; whether any steps have been taken to increase the supply of timber suitable for the requirements of the trade so soon as contracts are in hand; whether steps have been taken to ensure an adequate supply at a reasonable price of cement, taking into account the large amount which will be used for housing owing to the shortage of bricks; whether it has been arranged that only surplus stock shall be exported; and whether it is proposed to publish full details at once of the actual requirements of the Government, in order that private work may be encouraged and the present uncertainty removed with regard to the possibility of such work being started, and the amount of unemployment thereby lessened?
§ Dr. ADDISONWith a view to stimulating the production of building materials, an arrangement has been made under which the Ministry of Munitions, acting as agents for the Local Government Board, are placing orders for bricks, slates, stone, doors, window frames, and other house fittings. Steps have also been taken to increase the supply of timber. I am informed by the Board of Trade that there is every prospect of an adequate supply of cement being available at a reasonable price. A general licence has been issued for the export of cement to countries to which export is not limited for blockade reasons, but if it should prove needful, as seems at present unlikely, the export could be curtailed. With regard to the last part of the question, I am glad to have this opportunity of removing a misapprehension which I understand exists as to the possibility of all building material being commandeered for the Government's housing programme. It is not now, and never has been, the intention of the Government to requisition the whole output of the brickyards or other building material. The primary object of the Government's policy has been to stimulate production and to provide employment. While it is obviously necessary that the Government should take adequate steps to provide against a possible shortage of bricks required for the local authorities' schemes, it is intended that a proportion of the output of the brickfields should be available to supply the784W demands of the building industry for works outside the Government housing programme. It is not practicable to define the exact proportion at the outset, but it is proposed that until the materials are required for the Government's housing programme they should be available to meet the demands of the ordinary building industry. The same principle will apply with respect to slates and tiles. As regards the other materials, it is only proposed to place orders for limited quantities, the primary object in this case being to place orders with a limited number of firms which have been engaged on war supplies with a view to minimising unemployment due to the cancellation of munitions contracts. There is therefore no reason why persons who wish to place contracts for private work should be deterred from doing so.