Materials Supply - 2nd Quarter 2001 The proportion of all respondents reporting delays of more than two weeks but less than two months in obtaining supplies of materials is 9% before weighting, or 12% when replies are weighted by size of firm. This is a similar result to that obtained in the first quarter survey. Only three firms indicate delays over two months. Given the continuing rise in workload recorded by the survey, this is a most encouraging result. The concern expressed last time about the availability of plaster and plasterboard does appear now to have been only temporary, as these products are cited by only three firms this time. By comparison, the proportion reporting difficulties in obtaining supplies of bricks within two weeks, which also showed an increase in the first quarter survey, is again relatively high at 3% of the total response, just ahead of the level of concern over the supply of joinery products. Four regions account for more than two-thirds of the total of reports of delays, with seven from the South East and five each from London, the South West and the West Midlands. By comparison, in another four regions - Yorkshire & Humberside, the East Midlands, Scotland and Northern Ireland - there are no concerns expressed about availability of building materials and products. First posted: 17 July 2001. Last modified: 18 July 2001.