§ Viscount WOLMERasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the Ministry of Health informed the Aldershot Urban District Council that they 1990W had allotted to the council for their building scheme 1,000,000 bricks from a certain brickyard, and that upon examination it subsequently transpired that the bricks in question did not exist; and whether he will dismiss his staff at present engaged in hampering local authorities and others in their building programmes by similar muddles and delays, so that the building trade can return to its pre-war activity unhampered by Government interference?
§ Dr. ADDISONThe facts are not as stated. Early in June the Aldershot surveyor was informed by the Director of Building Materials Supply that his Department had a contract with the Tolworth Brick Company for 1,000,000 bricks. These were being supplied to various housing schemes, to the order of the Department, as produced. At no time was the statement made that 1,000,000 bricks from these works had been allotted to Aldershot, though it was contemplated that a share of the produce would be allotted to Aldershot. On the 15th June an order for 500,000 bricks was received from Aldershot, but, in consequence of a dispute between the Department and the brickmakers regarding certain extras on contract price, it was not possible to place the order immediately with the firm in question. In the meantime, therefore, with the concurrence of the council's surveyor, an allocation of bricks has been made from another direction.