§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in the light of the fall in construction output in the first quarter of 1981 of 5 per cent. lower than in the previous quarter, and 15 per cent. below output in the same quarter of 1980, he will take urgent measures to increase employment prospects in the construction industry.
§ Sir George YoungWe have already taken a number of measures which will benefit the construction industry and those employed in it. We have, for example, set up urban development corporations in Docklands and on Merseyside, together with the 11 enterprise zones. We have streamlined planning procedures, improved the supply of land and made changes in the industry's tax regime. We have also introduced a major low-cost homeownership programme. We have brought in measures to help small firms and encourage the construction of small factories. We will continue—within the overriding need to restore the economy to a sound footing—to take every opportunity to help the industry. In this respect I am encouraged by the latest new orders figures: total new orders for the three months from June to August were 21 per cent. higher than in the same period in 1980 with private commercial orders up by a third. Housing starts were 15 per cent. up on the same period last year, with private sector starts up no less than 43 per cent. over the same period.