§ Mr. Tilneyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will set out in tabular form, without making any allowances for productivity or increased output, the percentage rise in building costs over each of the last five years, and the equivalent figures for the first six months of 1971 compared with the first six months of 1970 and 1969.
§ Mr. ChannonPercentage increases in building costs, without any allowances for increases in productivity or in output were:
1966 + 4.6 per cent. on 1965 1967 + 4.6 per cent, on 1966 1968 + 7.7 per cent. on 1967 1969 + 5.2 per cent., on 1968 1970 + 10.6 per cent. on 1969 1971(first half) + 11.4 per cent. on1970 (first half) + 22.4 per cent on 1969 (first half) The above figures relate to all types of construction work in Great Britain, including repairs and maintenance. It is based on indices of building material prices and labour costs and makes no allowance for increases in productivity. The D.O.E. index of the cost of new construction, which does allow for productivity changes, increased by 14 per cent, between the first half of 1969 and the first half of 1971.