§ Mr. Bossomasked the Minister of Health, despite his decision to withdraw the application of the Essential Work Order from bomb-damage repair work as from 17th January, whether this type of work will continue to carry W.B.A. priority; and whether the payment-by-results scheme will be applicable
§ Mr. BevanW.B.A. priority will, for the time being, be applied only to contracts for repairs to seriously damaged houses on a lump sum basis. The answer1488W to the second part of the Question is "No, Sir."
§ Mr. Bossomasked the Minister of Health how many houses, including C (b) houses, in the London C.D. region still require repairs to bring them up to the standard laid down in Ministry of Health Serial No. 25.
§ Mr. BevanAccording to local authority estimates the figure on the 6th December, 1945, was 606,270 which includes 37,571 houses in the C (b) category. In this connection, however, the hon. Member should have regard to the terms of Circular 219/45 and Serial Note No. 166 copies of which I am sending him.
§ Mr. Bossomasked the Minister of Health, in view of his recent decision, whether as from 17th January next, no work on bomb-damage repair in the London region will be permitted to be carried cut under the cost-plus system of contract; and whether he will state any exceptions which are to be allowed.
§ Mr. Bevan17th January is the date from which the Essential Work Order ceases to apply to war damage repairs in the London Civil Defence Region. The position with regard to cost-plus contracts is set out in Circular 219/45.
§ Mr. Bossomasked the Minister of Health if he will give figures relating to bomb-damage repair in the London C.D. region, showing, as from 1st August last, the total number of houses repaired up to or above the standard laid down in Ministry of Health Serial No. 25; the number of such houses which had already previously been repaired up to the provisional emergency standard laid down in Serial 57; and the number of such houses which were so severely damaged as to be uninhabitable and were ranked as C (b) houses.
§ Mr. BevanThe number of houses in the London Civil Defence Region repaired up to or above the standard of Serial Note 25 since 1st August, 1945, is 182,398. Of these, 11,333 were C (b) houses and 2,390 were houses which were unoccupied but which were not classified C (b). It is not possible to say how many of these houses had previously been repaired to the standard laid down in Serial Note 56.
§ Mr. Bossomasked the Minister of Health whether the fixed price contracts 1489W for bomb-damage work, which are to be obligatory as from 17th January, will represent the total cost of the works, and include the cost of material as well as the labour, etc.; and whether these contracts will be let by competition.
§ Mr. BevanFixed price contracts are not obligatory for all war damage repairs from 17th January, 1946. The position is set out in detail in Circular 219/45. Fixed price contracts do not necessarily include the cost of materials as well as of labour. The contracts will generally be let by competition but may be negotiated.