§ 35. Mr. Henry Clarkasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate his Department has made of the level of personal saving in the United Kingdom since the Budget last year; and how this compares with the level of saving in each of the last five years, respectively.
§ Mr. Harold LeverFor figures on personal saving up to the third quarter of last year, I would refer the hon. Gentleman to Table D in the article on National Income and Expenditure in the January, 1969 edition of Economic Trends. Figures for the fourth quarter of last year will be published in the National Income White Paper on 9th April.
§ Mr. ClarkThe hon. Gentleman must agree that that is one of the least informative answers he could possibly have given. Does not he agree that the steady decline in saving reported by virtually all the savings media is a matter of the deepest possible concern to the country and to the Chancellor in preparing his Budget?
§ Mr. LeverCertainly my right hon. Friend the Chancellor is well aware of the need for encouraging savings in all forms.