§ Q3. Mr. Sillarsasked the Prime Minister if he will appoint a retirement pensioner to the central policy review staff in the Cabinet Office.
§ The Prime MinisterI would refer the hon. Member to the Answer which I gave him on 17th November.—[Vol. 806, c. 394.]
§ Mr. SillarsIs the Prime Minister afraid that such an appointee would bring home the fact of life that, for physical, medical, and other reasons, old-age pensioners are finding it increasingly difficult to shop around and that they are the hardest hit victims of his inability to halt price increases "at a stroke"?
§ The Prime MinisterThat question is not concerned with the Central Policy Review Staff. It is not proposed that this staff should be composed of representatives of special groups. This is quite natural.
On the wider subject, I understand that that may be debated in the near future, and I hope that the hon. Gentleman will accept his share of responsibility, under the Labour Government, for what was happening to old people.