§ 41. Mr. Wainwrightasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what measures he intends to introduce to encourage local authorities to build more houses by using non-traditional methods of building.
§ Sir K. JosephI want to see local authorities with urgent needs build as many houses as they can. In many areas, particularly those with a major slum clearance problem, it will be necessary to take advantage of industrialised techniques which make smaller demands on available labour in order to meet this larger programme. My Department are giving close attention to developments in this field, and I have set up an office in Manchester to help local authorities in the drawing up and phasing of firm forward programmes and to encourage the adoption of suitable industrialised systems of building.
My Departments are keeping in close touch on developments in this field both at home and abroad and are collaborating with local authorities, 23W contractors, manufacturers, architects and, of course, with the department of my right hon. Friend, the Minister of Public Building and Works, and the Building Research Station. They are also conducting practical building experiments in co-operation with local authorities on a lightweight system for house-building, using mainly factory-produced components.