HC Deb 10 April 1959 vol 603 cc46-8W
Sir A. Bossom

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, if he will require the Building Research Station to inquire the actual time taken by each of the 25-odd trades that enter into the construction of an important building, in order to ascertain whether it would not be advantageous to work double shifts in certain of these trades to avoid the slowing down of the general building procedure frequently caused because certain trades do not step forward in full harmony with the others.

Mr. H. Nicholls

The Building Research Station of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research has made extensive studies of the principles of programming building work and has published papers describing suitable methods. These methods have been applied by contractors to the type of building project referred to in the question. If sufficient labour is available, it is usually possible to increase the number of operatives and keep to the programme on single shift working, which has organisational and cost advantages over double shift working.