§ 47. Mr. Doddsasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs, in view of the progress that has been made in the development of factory-made houses by several firms, what action has now been taken by Her Majesty's Government regarding the development of this type of house; and what steps are being taken or are contemplated to encourage greater use of factory-made houses in future housing programmes.
§ Sir K. JosephMy Department has had over 700 meetings with firms interested in industrialised building methods and a number of meetings and conferences with a total of 510 local authorities; the Ministry also helps and encourages local authorities to play their part in the development and use of promising systems. I believe that the advice and information which has been given has contributed materially to the development of new methods in this country. A research and development group of the Department have designed and developed a system for two-storey houses, known as 5M, and is developing a second—12M—for houses and low-rise192W flats and maisonettes. These systems will be made available for general use.
I am encouraging local authorities to form working groups to enable them to take the fullest advantage of new methods. Of the 510 local authorities, 70 of the largest building between them about one-quarter of the local authority programme, are already working in groups, and I hope more groups will be formed following conferences and meetings which my Department has held with the others. About one-sixth of the local authority programmes in 1964 and about one-fifth in 1965 will, be built by industrialised methods, I would expect this proportion to rise sharply thereafter. The main function of the National Building Agency, which has been set up by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Public Building and Works, is to encourage the greater use of industrialised methods for all types of building, including houses.