§ 1. Mr. Peter Walkerasked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what plans he has to increase the staff of the National Board for Prices and Incomes.
§ The Minister of State, Department of Economic Affairs (Mr. Austen Albu)There has recently been a substantial increase in the Board's staff. My right hon. Friend will continue to keep the position under review.
§ Mr. WalkerWill the hon. Gentleman express the gratitude of the House to the members of the Board and their staff for the tremendous volume of work that they have endeavoured to cope with in pursuit of Government policy? Will the hon. Gentleman assure us that the Board will not be in a position to be able to reject looking at claims like those of the gas workers or to fail to produce reports on time, as happened in the case of the 584 bakers' claim? Such things do a great deal of harm to Government policy.
§ Mr. AlbuI thank the hon. Gentleman for his tribute to the members of the Board and the staff. We are aware of the need to get out reports as quickly as possible. That is one reason why we have increased the staff.