§ Mr. WINDSORasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that within a radius of 12 miles there are eight brickfields closed down in East Suffolk; and whether, in view of the existence of unemployment in this district and the insufficiency of home-produced bricks to meet the demand, he will take any steps to assist the re-opening of these brickfields?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINI am not aware of the brickfields which the hon. Member has in mind or of the circumstances in which they have closed, but no
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(1) Imports of Pitprops and Pitwood—by Districts. Year. Quantities imported into Declared values thereof Ports in South Wales and Monmouthshire* Ports on N.E. Coast of England.† All ports in United Kingdom. Ports in South Wales and Monmouthshire.* Ports on N.E. Coast of England.† All ports in United Loads. Loads. Loads. £ £ £ 1913 … 1,716,647 753,393 3,451,328 1,790,917 1,102,071 4,445,066 1914 … Information not available from published returns. 2,476,854 Information not available from published returns. 3,259,346 1915 … 2,168,631 4,786,361 1916 … 2,021,282 6,878,106 1917 … 996,148 4,254,452 1918 … 703,010 2,947,994 1919 … 868,068 373,693 1,451,733 2,827,724 2,807,698 7,307,939 1920 … 1,112,240 507,451 2,003,937 3,347,311 3,457,603 9,369,122 1921 … 822,455 249,372 1,296,925 1,442 422 934,412 3,224,152 1922 … 1,549,792 665,705 2,811,876 2,309,276 1,741,981 5,486,308 1923‡ … 1,917,841 850,267 3,675,120 2,747,850 2,557,612 7,679,764 1924 … 1,652,185 689,349 3,004,269 2,188,214 1,917,467 5,911,646 1925 … 1,351,891 646,475 2,503,142 1,871,046 1,500,955 4,595,327 * Includes Cardiff, Newport, Port Talbot and Swansea. † Includes Blyth (and Amble), Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Newcastle and North and South Shields, Sunderland and Seaham. ‡ Direct imports into the Irish Free State from countries outside the British Isles have been excluded since 1st April, 1923. From the same date imports into Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the Irish Free State have been included. shortage of bricks in this area has been brought to my notice.