HC Deb 06 February 1940 vol 357 cc27-8
54. Mr. Graham White

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider the advisability of issuing more precise and detailed advice to individual citizens with regard to how and where their expenditure should be reduced in the national interest?

Sir J. Simon

The essential need is that the individual citizen should reduce his expenditure as much as he can. Circumstances differ widely, and the manner and direction of the reduction must be a matter for his individual judgment. It is not practicable to prescribe a detailed code to which a consumer should conform, but he may derive some guidance from direct evidences of deficiency of supply of any article, such as high prices or rationing.

Mr. Thorne

Would not the right hon. Gentleman prefer them to have opportunities for increasing their expenditure?