§ Mrs. Ann Taylorasked the Secretary of the State for the Environment how many systems of industrialised dwellings have been developed by his Department or Government agencies; if he will name these systems; and whether any defects are presently associated with them.
§ Mr. StanleyGovernment Departments and agencies have developed only a very limited number of housebuilding systems which have subsequently been put into production. The information readily available is as follows:
- (a) A prefabricated aluminium bungalow was produced in substantial numbers by the aircraft industry under Government sponsorship at the end of the second world war; these subsequently encountered problems of corrosion;
- (b) Early in the 1960s the Ministry of Housing and Local Government developed the 5M and 12M systems, the latter in collaboration with John Laing Construction Ltd. There were some problems with the cladding panels used in the 5M system, but, so far as is known, there have been no recent reports of defects inherent in the design of either system.