§ 44. Mr. Jayasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the cost to public funds of the Council on Prices, Productivity and Incomes since its establishment.
§ 58. Mr. Gordon Walkerasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the approximate cost incurred in the preparation and production of the First Report of the Council on Prices, Productivity and Incomes.
§ Mr. SimonThe cost to public funds of producing the First Report of the Council on Prices, Productivity and Incomes has been approximately£3,560. Of this£2,330 represents salaries and office expenses up to 31st January, 1958, and£1,230 the cost of printing and publishing the Report.
§ Mr. JayIs it not a fraud on the taxpayer that the partisan opinions of these three individuals should be propagated at the public expense; and, in the interests of economy, will not the Government abolish this ridiculous organisation?
§ Mr. SimonThe Question related to the cost of producing the Report. The Council was established so that all concerned should have the benefit of continuous study, by an independent body of high standing, of the important public problems which are within the Council's terms of reference. That being so, the Government themselves are closely studying the views expressed. I hope that all others interested or concerned in these problems will do likewise.
§ Mr. JayAs this Council has called for more unemployment—[HON. MEMBERS: "Nonsense."]—and as the Chancellor who set them up is now unemployed himself, would it not be the happiest solution if these three individuals also joined the ranks of the unemployed?
§ Mr. SimonThat supplementary question illustrates the importance of the advice that I ventured to give, that all concerned would do well to read the Report.
§ Mr. P. WilliamsWould not my hon. Friend agree that the money spent on this Report is of incomparably greater value than the£10,000 referred to in Question No. 3, which has been spent on "Shoppers' Guide"?