HC Deb 18 May 1950 vol 475 cc189-90W
Mr. Robson-Brown

asked the Minister of Works what is the statistical basis for the Government's estimates of the distribution of the building labour force, as between housing and non-housing work, in 1938; how far these estimates are based on returns; and how far they are derived statistically.

Mr. Stokes

The estimates of the distribution of the building labour force, as between housing and non-housing work, in 1938 were based on figures given in an article on the Building and Civil Engineering Industry published in the Oxford Economic Papers No. 7, March, 1945. This article gave estimates of the value of output on various kinds of building and civil engineering work based on the 1935 census of production, which the authors claimed was incomplete. The estimates of men employed, which should be treated with reserve, were derived from the value figures by using conversion factors.

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