§ Mr. Chichester-Clarkasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many building workers were employed by the direct labour departments of local authorities for each of the last 10 years; and how many in each year were engaged upon new construction work.
§ Mr. ChannonThe numbers of operatives employed on construction work by the direct labour departments of local authorities in Great Britain for each of the last 10 years; and the numbers engaged upon new construction work in each year were:
NUMBERS OF OPERATIVES EMPLOYED ON CONSTRUCTION WORK New Work Total All Work September each year 1961 … … … 32,267 182,680 1962 … … … 33,737 189,087 1963 … … … 36,023 197,843 1964 … … … 35,209 196,590 1965 … … … 33,702 192,169 1966 … … … 34,484 194,167 1967 … … … 38,516 199,636 1968 … … … 36,223 189,675 1969 … … … 32,836 182,593 1970 … … … 30,140 176,864 Source: Department of the Environment
Note: The figures include operatives employed by Local Authorities who use direct labour only for ancillary work on new housebuilding schemes.
§ Mr. Chichester-Clarkasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out in tabular form at constant prices the value of work done by the 161W direct labour departments of local authorities over each of the last 10 years, subdividing the information so as to give details of new housing and new non-housing work, and repair and maintenance work on housing and on non-housing projects.
VALUE OF WORK DONE AT CONSTANT (1963) PRICES (£M.) IN THE FIRST AND THIRD QUARTERS OF EACH YEAR BY THE DIRECTLY-EMPLOYED LABOUR OF LOCAL AUTHORITIES GREAT BRITAIN (SIX MONTHS' TOTALS) £ million New Work Repairs and Maintenance Total Housing Non-Housing Housing Non-Housing Work Done 1961 … … … 15.3 14.9 26.1 67.9 124.2 1962 … … … 15.3 14.9 27.4 66.8 124.4 1963 … … … 15.2 14.4 28.7 69.4 127.7 1964 … … … 18.7 17.3 28.6 69.1 133.7 1965 … … … 20.6 16.1 28.0 66.3 131.0 1966 … … … 20.6 15.4 29.7 68.1 133.8 1967 … … … 24.3 21.0 32.6 67.8 145.7 1968 … … … 21.5 27.7 34.3 64.2 147.7 1969 … … … 19.9 24.4 33.8 62.3 140.4 1970 … … … 17.1 24.5 35.9 58.8 136.3 Source: Department of the Environment Note: The figures include work by Local Authorities who use direct labour only for ancillary work on new house-building scheme.
§ Mr. Chichester-Clarkasked the Secretary of State for the Environment on how many occasions since the issue of Circular 57/69 his Department has refused loan sanction to a local authority for a new construction scheme which they had intended to carry out by direct labour on the grounds that the scheme was not in accordance with the provisions of the circular regarding competition; and what were the schemes involved.
§ Mr. Chichester-Clarkasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he is taking to ensure that local authorities conduct their direct labour departments according to Circular 57/69; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Chichester-Clarkasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many schemes have been submitted by local authorities for loan sanction which involve new construction by direct labour since the publication of Circular 57/69; whether he will list each one, giving details of its value and the nature of it; and how many applications have been refused loan sanction.
162W
§ Mr. ChannonThe figures available are shown below. They give totals for work carried out in only six months of each year. Information is not collected for the other two quarters.
The information is as follows:
§ Mr. Chichester-Clarkasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to prevent local authorities from awarding all improvement work on their own council houses to their direct labour departments without competition from private contractors.
§ Mr. AmeryI am looking into this matter to see whether any changes are necessary in the existing procedure.