Building Trade Operatives

HC Deb 01 February 1956 vol 548 c126W

Mr. Woodburn

asked the Minister of Works the total number of building trade operatives, skilled and unskilled, respectively, employed on building in 1938, 1945, 1950, and 1955; and the approximate numbers which were engaged on housing.

Mr. Buchan-Hepburn

Exactly comparable figures cannot be provided owing to changes in the bases on which labour statistics have been collected. The available figures for the four years are given below, together with the estimated proportion of skilled workers and of men employed on new housebuilding.

BUILDING AND CIVIL ENGINEERING LABOUR FORCE (INCLUDING LABOUR EMPLOYED BY LOCAL AUTHORITIES)
Great Britain
—	Total operatives	Percentage of skilled workers	percentage engaged on new housing
	thousands	per cent.	per cent.
1938	1,030	64	32
1945	750	55	14
1950	1,280	59	24
1955*	1,230	56	28
* Provisional figures.