§ 87. Mr. Hiltonasked the Minister of Public Building and Works what method of measurement is used to calculate the value of output in the construction industry; how the basic information is 15W gathered; and whether the same measurement is equally applied in the private contracting sector as compared with Ministry Departments and local authorities.
§ Mr. PrenticeGross output is measured in terms of the cash value of the work done. Private contractors make quarterly returns of output, based on the progress payments which they claim from the clients.
Local authorities make returns of output twice a year, based on their valuation of the work done, produced by their accounting machinery. Government Departments make returns once a year of output on the same basis as local authorities.
The figures for contractors include profits, but no comparable item can be included in respect of local authorities or Government Departments.