§ 12. Mr. Wolrige-Gordonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimates he has made of the effect on the Scottish economy of the 17½ per cent. fall in the purchasing power of the £ sterling since December, 1964.
§ Mr. Wolrige-GordonIs not that reply rather complacent? Does not the right hon. Gentleman appreciate that the decline in the value of the £, allied with swingeing increases in taxation which the Scottish people have had to suffer in the last few years, does present and has presented real problems to the Scottish people and obvious inflationary pressures? What does he propose to do about it?
§ Mr. RossThis is not a purely Scottish problem, but the fact that male manual earnings in Scotland rose by 37 per cent. between October, 1964, and April, 1969, will give the hon. Gentleman some compensation.