§ 8. Mr. Turtonasked the Minister of Works for what reason he is destroying ex-Government buildings which housed £20,000 worth of mining machinery near Horsham belonging to Mr. A. P. Harman; and whether he will order the postponement of demolition until this matter can be reconsidered.
§ Mr. KeyThis property is held under requisition by the Ministry of Agriculture who have declared the buildings redundant and my Department has been asked to dismantle and dispose of the buildings before derequisitioning. I
A.—NOT DUE TO ANY CHANGE IN MERCHANTS' MARGIN Percentage Variation on Selling Prices Operative Date Increase Decrease Sanitary Fireclay … … … … 5½ per cent. — 28. 3.49 Plaster … … … … 20 per cent. — 1. 1.49 Plasterboard … … … … 3 per cent. — 1. 1.49 2 per cent. 16. 8.49 Cast Iron Baths … … … … 1½ per cent. — 12. 4.49 Metal Windows … … … … 4½ per cent. — 19. 4.49 Metal Windows (Rustproofing) … … … … — 2 per cent. 2. 8.49 Galvanised Tanks and Cisterns … … … … 5½ per cent. — 13.12.48 5¼ per cent. — 21. 4.49 — 2½ per cent. 23. 5.49 — 1½ per cent. 8. 8.49 5 per cent. — 29. 9.49 Lead Sheet and Pipe … … … … 12½ per cent. There have been several changes in price and 12½ per cent. is the net effect. Cement (see B below) … … … … — 2½ per cent. 1. 9.49 Glass (Flat) … … … … 3 per cent. — 21. 3.49
B.—DUE IN WHOLE OR IN PART TO CHANGES IN MERCHANTS' MARGINS Percentage Variation on Selling Prices Operative Date Increase Decrease Asbestos Cement … … … … … — 2½ per cent. 1.12.48 Cement (see A above) … … … … … 2½ per cent. on sales of 1 ton and under 6 tons — 1. 9.49 Lead Sheet and Pipe … … … … … ½ per cent. — 19. 9.49 Galvanised Tanks … … … … … — 1¼ per cent. 1. 7.49 In the case of flat Glass, in spite of recent increases in the cost of manufacture, no change on prices in fact has
86Wunderstand that the matter has been under consideration for over a year and I am not prepared to postpone the work.