Mr. Mclnnesasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, in view of the unemployment in the building industry in Scotland, he will take steps to encourage local authorities to increase their present housing output which has fallen considerably in recent years.
§ Mr. MaclayThe volume of house building in Scotland is already running significantly above last year's level. The number of local authority houses covered by approved tenders in the first quarter of 1962 was 978 more than in the first quarter of 1961, and the total number of houses under construction by all agencies in March, 1962, was 1,439 more than in March, 1961. It is expected that, as last year, the number of vacancies for building craftsmen will shortly exceed the number unemployed.