Mr. Baker Whiteasked the Minister of Health if he is aware that the completion of houses in East Kent is being slowed down through a shortage of cement, light castings, baths, galvanised piping arid hardening material for asphalt floors; and if he will improve supplies to this area.
§ Mr. BevanI am aware that temporary shortages may have occurred on some sites. Assistance will continue to be given to contractors who might be delayed by lack of materials.
§ Sir W. Smithersasked the President of the Board of Trade what is the planned division in 1948 between home and export of building materials and fitments suitable for the erection of brick houses giving a list thereof; and whether in view of Marshall aid a substantial reduction in export of building materials and fitments will now be arranged to increase the number of brick houses for which bricks, cement, timber and labour are available.
§ Mr. KeyI have been asked to reply. The following table gives a list of building materials for which precise export targets have been announced, together with an estimate of the percentage of production these targets represent. Other 91W manufacturers of materials and components for whose products there is a profitable export market are encouraged to export any surplus they can produce over essential home requirements. Full regard has been paid to the essential home requirements of building materials and components, and the needs of brick houses for which timber is available form only part of this demand. With regard to the effect of Marshall Aid, I would refer the hon. Member to paragraph 246 of the Economic Survey for 1948.
TABLE. ITEM. Target monthly rate of Export 31st December, 1948. By Value. Approximate percentage of Total Monthly output by Volume. £ Per cent. Glazed Tiles 200,000 40 Glass—Flat 440,000 33⅓ Sanitary Ware 240,000 25 Cement 500,000 15 Roofing Felt 30,000 20