§ Mr. Freesonasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether his Department has yet completed its examination of the implications for building resources of any given level of improvement of old properties.
§ Mr. MellishFurther study is necessary but investigation so far suggests that the improvement of five or six houses makes the same demands on craftsmen 15W as building one new house. The increase which my right hon. Friend wants to see in the rate of improvement will call for an increase in productivity on that kind of work. But of course many firms and craftsmen engaged on improvement work would be unlikely to work on new house-building.