§ 25. Mr. Hannanasked the Minister of Power if he will give the percentage rise in the price of industrial coal, electricity, gas, fuel oil, and steel from 1949 until the latest convenient date, taking 1949 as 100 in each case.
§ Mr. WoodApproximate percentage increases from 1949 to 1959 are as follows: coal 81 per cent., electricity 33 per cent., gas 70 per cent., fuel oil 27 per cent. and iron and steel 96 per cent.
§ Mr. HannanIn view of those figures and the continued campaign by hon. Members opposite against nationalised industries because of increasing prices, can we now expect the Government to turn their attention to private enterprise, especially the steel industry, so that we can get steel cheaper and in the greater quantity which the nation needs?
§ Mr. WoodNo, Sir. We shall not turn our attention in that way because of these figures, because the lowest and the highest percentages both refer to non-nationalised industries.