§ Mr. Spriggsasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from the Association of the Concrete Pipe Industry since the cuts in public expenditure on telecommunications, water and sewerage, and the civil engineering industry in general, were announced; and whether he was able to offer any easement of the situation with which Rocla Pipes Limited, St. Helens, now finds its business and employees faced.
§ Mr. KaufmanThe association has represented that the cuts will have a serious effect on orders for pipes, disproportionate to the 20 per cent. reduction in the water and sewerage programme; and has asked that water authorities should be directed to give priority to pipe laying so as to mitigate this effect. I consider that priority must be given to work required for new housing and the prevention of serious risks to public health, and that I cannot, therefore, properly comply with the association's request. While I very much regret the effect of the cuts I can hold out no hope of restoring them in present economic circumstances; and I cannot comment on the prospects of individual manufacturers.