§ 65. Mr. Mappasked the Minister of Public Building and Works, in view of the pressure for materials on the building industry, if he will take steps to ensure an adequate supply of bricks to meet the expanding local authority housing projects in the North-West area.
§ Mr. SharplesProduction of bricks is already running at a record level, and brick producers have plans in hand for increasing their output. Further expansion of building programmes will, however, require greater use of non-traditional methods and materials.
§ 67. Mr. R. Edwardsasked the Minister of Public Building and Works what action he has taken in respect of the shortage of bricks, particularly in the west Midlands area, in order to ensure continuity of brick supplies and thus prevent local shortages.
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§ Mr. SharplesWe are in regular contact both with brickmakers and with brick users. The production of bricks is running at record levels this year, and productive capacity is being increased. Although we have had isolated reports of shortages of bricks, in general the record volume of building now being carried out is not being held up.
§ Mr. C. Pannellasked the Minister of Public Building and Works what is the current weekly demand for bricks; and what quantity is being supplied to consumers.
§ Mr. RipponDuring March, April and May—the last month for which figures are available—approximately 2,063 million bricks were delivered, which represents an average of 158 million per week. No figures of weekly demand are available.
§ Mr. Boydenasked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will state, region by region, the places where there is a shortage of bricks.
§ Mr. RipponLong delivery dates have been reported from many parts of the country, but our information is that little work in hand has been seriously affected by shortages of bricks.
§ Mr. Boydenasked the Minister of Public Building and Works what types of bricks are in short supply.
§ Mr. RipponLonger delivery dates are being quoted for the cheapest types of common brick, and also for some special types.
§ Mr. Boydenasked the Minister of Public Building and Works what is the value of brick imports so far this year; and how this figure compares with the same period last year and in 1960.
§ Mr. RipponSeparate figures are not available for imports of bricks, but the value of imports of building bricks and some other analogous products was £4,658 in the first five months of 1964, and £6,415 in the corresponding period of 1963. Comparable figures are not available for 1960 because the classification under which imports of bricks are recorded has been altered substantially since that year.
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§ Mr. Boydenasked the Minister of Public Building and Works how the current price of the chief variety of bricks ex-works compares with this time last year, in 1962, and in 1960.
§ Mr. RipponThe average delivered price of bricks in May, 1964—the last month for which figures are available—was 7 per cent. higher than the corresponding figure for May, 1963; 7 per cent. higher than the figure for May, 1962; and 18 per cent. higher than the figure for May, 1960.
§ Mr. Millanasked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will make a statement on the adequacy of the supply of bricks in Scotland to meet an expanding building programme.
§ Mr. RipponThe Scottish brick-makers are producing more bricks than ever before and their capacity is increasing. Although there are some difficulties in the supply of bricks, building work is not in general being held up.