§ 36. Mr. Osborneasked he Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the recommendations of the courts of a 5 per cent. wage increase throughout the engineering and shipbuilding industries, even though the courts admit this will be inflationary, and therefore, contrary to the Government's declared policy.
§ Mr. BirchI do not think it would be helpful to add at this stage to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour on 7th May.
§ Mr. OsborneWould my right hon. Friend say whether it is possible to control inflation if higher wages are paid for the same amount of work?
§ Mr. BirchI hope that this question, asked in connection with the Courts' Reports, may prove to be hypothetical.
§ Mr. JayWill the right hon. Gentleman at least tell us whether it is still Government policy that there should be restraint in the payment of dividends?