§ 12. Mr. Hannanasked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he is aware that the shortage of building bricks in Scotland and lack of stocks in hand are causing delays in building programmes and causing bricklayers to be paid off; and what consultations he has had with the industry in order to rectify this situation.
§ Mr. RipponMy Ministry's Scottish Headquarters had a meeting with the Scottish National Building Trades Federation (Employers) and the Scottish Employers Council for the Clay Industries in Glasgow on 13th April to discuss the situation.
I am aware that there is a shortage of bricks in Scotland at present, which has resulted in some slowing up of construction and reduction of overtime by bricklayers, but there is no indication of any widespread disruption of work or resulting unemployment.
Scottish production of bricks in March was the highest for any month since the war. The brickmakers are confident that this high level can be maintained for the rest of the year which would mean an increase of some 20 per cent. in production of bricks in Scotland in 1964 compared with 1963.