§ Mr. N. Macphersonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will give details of any economies he has asked local authorities to make since 1st October, 1949, in the use of timber in their housing programmes, apart from the reduction in ceiling heights; and what effect such economies are estimated to have on the requirements of timber in a three-roomed and four-roomed house, respectively, and on the total consumption of timber in the 1950 housing programme.
Mr. McNeilI am sending the hon. Member copies of circulars and a memorandum issued to local authorities in November, 1949, and March, 1950, repeating existing timber economies and recommending further savings. As, however, not all of these recommendations can be incorporated in every case in view of the great variety of types of houses and methods of construction adopted by local authorities it is not possible to estimate what the actual savings may be.