§ Mr. Hastingsasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will recommend to local authorities that they cease the importation of prefabricated houses from Holland for council house building, in view of the existence of a stockpile of 300 million bricks and a recession in the brick industry which has recently led to redundancies.
§ Mr. FreesonSubject to compliance with building regulations and the normal standards and cost limits for public secfor housing, local authorities are free to choose the form of building which they consider best suited to their housing needs.306W The hon. Member probably has in mind a Greater London Council scheme in the London borough of Hammersmith for which a contract has been negotiated with a Dutch firm to produce "concrete box units" in Holland. The contract is for 29 flats only and is regarded as experimental. If it was a success there might be future prospects for developing the system in this country. At Hammersmith bricks are being used for external cladding.
I met representatives of the Brick Development Association recently. I am fully aware of their difficulties and they are aware of the measures I am taking to revive new housebuilding generally from the disastrous level it had reached.