§ Mr. Wardasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will consider with the local authority associations steps to increase their take-up of bricks to secure an adequate supply for their expanding house building programmes including, if necessary, a stockpiling subsidy similar to that applied to certain foodstuffs.
§ Mr. FreesonAt the end of October 1974 there were 817 million bricks in stock, representing about two months' supply at current levels of demand. I can hold out no hope of the Government financing further stockpiling of bricks. I do not believe that there will be any problems over the supply of bricks in the short term, and I am keeping a close watch on the position as regards the longer term.