§ 37. Mrs. Mannasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he intends to take to assist 30,000 mothers who have had to meet a 13 per cent. increase in food prices during 1952, and who have no family allowance for their first child.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerIt is difficult to establish the particular class of mothers to which the hon. Member refers. I enumerated in my last Budget speech the wide range of cases where I found it practicable to increase social benefits, including family allowances.
§ Mrs. MannIs it not a fact that the right hon. Gentleman did not encounter any difficulty in classifying when he gave the 3s. increase to all classes in respect of children after the first child? Is he aware that in the case of many large families the ration is not being taken and is being distributed to other people who have no children? Will he not now do something for the first child?
§ Mr. ButlerThe sincere difficulty which I face about the first child is that on the basis of 8s., the gross cost—without savings on National Assistance—would be no less than £131 million, which is a big figure to envisage, and the net cost would be £128 million. The difficulty about the hon. Lady's Question is that I do not know how to segregate these 30,000 mothers. I think it would be rather invidious to try to do so.
§ 38. Mrs. Mannasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that the average level of food prices is approximately 13 per cent. higher than in mid-December, 1951, and the average index figure of the cost of living 9 per cent. higher for the same period; and, in view of the repercussions that these increases have on our wages and exports, if he will now indicate his policy in regard to price increases.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerI must ask the hon. Member to await my forthcoming Budget speech.
§ Mrs. MannWhile I am awaiting that speech, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman to remember the promise which he made in his election speeches that he would make the most intense attack ever made upon the cost of living? Would he read the fourth verse of the 24th chapter of St. Matthew?
§ Mr. ButlerI am very well aware of the quotation to which the hon. Lady refers. While she is thinking about my speech, I will study the Scripture.
§ Mr. GowerIs it not true that the attack which the Chancellor is making on those prices has recently shown some signs of succeeding?
§ Mr. LewisIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that no item of foodstuff has gone down in price since the Government have been in power and that the cost of living has gradually gone up and never once has gone down? Is it not a fact that, as a result of the last Budget, the people of this country have been placed in the position of not being able to take up their rations? How will that help them when the right hon. Gentleman further reduces subsidies in his next Budget?
§ Mr. ButlerDespite the policy of reducing the food subsidies, the cost-of-living index has for some time been held steady, and a great many commodities have come down in price.