§ Mr. Sharpasked the Minister of Works what action he has taken, or is taking, to implement the recommendations of the First Report of the Technical Committee of the National Brick Advisory Council; how long it will take to implement the 87W recommendations to a substantial degree; and to what extent he plans to exceed the 1946 brick production figures by 1948.
§ Mr. KeyThe technical staff of my Ministry, in conjunction with the staff of the Building Research Station and the British Refractories Research Association, are assisting brickmakers to implement the Committee's recommendations and I am doing my best to accelerate the provision of mechanical plant. The answer to the second part of the Question depends upon a number of factors including the availability of plant and the efforts of the brickmakers themselves, and I am unable to make any definite statement. Subject to the supply of fuel and the recruitment of adequate labour I hope that we shall reach this summer an average monthly production at least equal to that of October, 1946, when the highest postwar rate of output was reached.