§ Mr. CHARLES EDWARDSasked the Minister of Health whether 200,000 houses is the Government estimate of building for the first four years; whether his estimate of bricklayers required is 60,000 and that only 54,646 are obtainable if withdrawn from all other work; and whether there were on the register in October, 1919, 24,885 stonemasons, making a total for this class of work of 79,531, leaving a margin of nearly 20,000 for other work?
§ Dr. ADDISONIf the present shortage of houses is to be overcome we must aim at securing the building of not less than 200,000 houses a year in England and Wales. The number of bricklayers required for this programme has been variously estimated at from 48,600 to 66,000, but the total number of bricklayers in October last in England and Wales was 50,993 and not 54,646, which was the total for the United Kingdom as as whole. It will be seen that there is really no margin of bricklayers for any other work whatever. The number of masons was, in England and Wales, 18,712 and not 24,885, the figure quoted by the hon. Member, which refers to the whole of the United Kingdom.