§ Major PRESCOTTasked the President of the Local Government Board if he can give a comparative statement showing the approximate number of skilled artisans in the building and allied trades from January, 1909, to January, 1919; and if he can announce the considered opinion of the Director-General of Housing as to whether sufficient skilled labour and materials will be available during the next five years to carry out the Government programme for making good the present shortage of housing accommodation and meeting the demands due to the growth of population?
§ Dr. ADDISONI have obtained from the Ministry of Labour estimates of the 69W number of skilled artisans in the Building and Allied Trades in the United Kingdom in January of each year from 1913; onwards. I have no figures for the years from 1909 to 1913. The figures are as follows:
1913 … … … … 525,864 1914 … … … … 496,900 1915 … … … … 494,759 1916 … … … … 388,522 1917 … … … … 283,266 1918 … … … … 292,421 1919 … … … … 302,802 The shortage of workmen's houses was estimated in 1918 by the Committee presided over by the hon. Member for Bright-side to be 500,000. According to the report of the same Committee the greatest annual production of workmen's houses was about 112,000 in 1905. The resources of production of building works are at the present time probably not equal to those in 1905. They will, however, be utilised and increased to the fullest possible extent within the period presently contemplated under the terms as set forth in the Board's Circular of the 6th February. It is anticipated that it will be possible thereafter to continue to increase the rate of production in the following years so that the accumulated shortage will be met.