§ Mr. Durantasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to gather the information on prefabricated, reinforced concrete houses referred to in the statement made by the Minister for Housing and Construction on 8 February, Official Report, c. 893.
§ Mr. StanleyI have arranged for a letter to be sent today to all local authorities in England listing the types of prefabricated reinforced concrete houses known by my Department to have been built between the wars and in the 1940s and in the 1950s, and asking for information on the number and ownership of those houses, and other houses of similar construction, in each local authority area. The letter also outlines the programme of technical work to be carried out by the Building Research Establishment. The letter has been sent for information to the Building Societies Association, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, the Institution of Structural Engineers and the Royal Institute of British Architects. The Secretary of State for Wales, the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland are taking similar action. Copies of the letter have been placed in the Library.