HC Deb 07 February 1967 vol 740 cc1351-2
Q6. Mr. Ridley

asked the Prime Minister if he will appoint a Minister with overall responsibility for economic growth.

The Prime Minister

No, Sir.

Mr. Ridley

Is the Prime Minister aware that the Government's record has been lamentable? During the two and a half years that they have been in office, growth has been going on at only slightly over one per cent. a year. Is not the Prime Minister ashamed of this deplorable result?

The Prime Minister

If the hon. Gentleman regards it as lamentable and deplorable to reverse a balance of payments deficit of £800 million, which was all that they could do after 13 years, and get to the position where we face a prospective surplus this year, I do not share his use of those words, but he will realise what reversing this dangerous Conservative trend has meant in these two years for growth.

Mr. Peyton

Is not the Prime Minister missing a never-to-be-repeated opportunity, because does not there appear to be a job for the Paymaster-General here?

The Prime Minister

There always seems to be something about that second bench below the Gangway which leads to that particular kind of frivolity. My right hon. Friend the First Secretary of State is, of course, responsible for economic co-ordination, planning physical resources, and everything concerned with our expansion plans, and it is not necessary to go further than I have in strengthening his Department.

Mr. Heath

What is to be the rate of growth this year?

The Prime Minister

I would not like to forecast that, any more than my predecessor did in 1956, or any other Conservative Prime Minister who was asked this, but the right hon. Gentleman who made so much party capital last July out of the measures that we had to take, will, I hope, now stand up and admit that they are having a very considerable success on exports, on the balance of payments, on sterling, and on all the other things in respect of which he has been trying to sell this country short.

Hon. Members

Stand up.

Mr. Lipton

Reverting to the original Question, and generally speaking, have not we sufficient Ministers already?

The Prime Minister

Yes, Sir, I think we just about have.