§ Major PRESCOTTasked the Minister of Health whether he has had the pisé de terre system of wall building examined or tested; if so, whether he will inform the House of the result of his investigations; whether he is aware that the system of pisé 1930W construction is now being subjected to a series of scientific and practical tests under the supervision of the National Physical Laboratory at Teddington; whether he is aware that the Board of Agriculture is now building experimental houses in pisé whether he is aware that two of the great advantages claimed for this system are that it can be done by unskilled labour and at one-fourth the cost of brickwork; whether these advantages call for the careful consideration of his Department; and if he will further explore the possibilities of this new form of building?
§ Dr. ADDISONI am aware of the experiments being made with pisé de terre and of the advantages claimed for this system. The Standardisation and Construction Committee of the Housing Advisory Council have investigated this form of construction and have reported that the general principle of pisé de terre may be approved for experimental purposes. The Committee pointed out, however, that there had been an unusual number of failures in this method of construction and that it was most important that the work should be carried out under proper supervision and with proper material. My Department are keeping in touch with the further tests and experiments now being carried out, and the results will receive their careful consideration.