§ Q3. Mr. Silvesterasked the Prime Minister whether he will take steps to transfer responsibility for the index of retail prices from the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity to the Minister of Housing and Local Government.
§ The Prime MinisterNo, Sir.
§ Mr. SilvesterIs the Prime Minister aware that I am only looking after the 576 feelings of his right hon. Friend, as the collapse of her policies is to a considerable extent responsible for the alarming rise in prices? Would not it be less embarrassing for her not to be responsible for the monthly publication of her failure?
§ The Prime MinisterThe hon. Gentleman really should not sound so sombre in this matter. The Question asks whether the responsibility should be handed over to the Minister of Housing and Local Government. It is a fact that since 1964, compared with the period before that time, the housing component in family expenditure has risen less in relation to the index than it did in the four years before 1964. But I am prepared to consider the hon. Gentleman's suggestion, because I take him more seriously than others may. It would be the case with any future Conservative Government that the rocketing of house prices and rents under their policies might make it appropriate for the Minister to be responsible for the retail price index.
§ Mr. MaudlingAs an estimate of the future course of prices is central to any decision on the demand-supply question which underlies the Budget and the Government's economic policy, would the right hon. Gentleman enlighten the House about his estimate of the future trend in prices?
§ The Prime MinisterI have nothing to add to what was said by my right hon. Friends in the Budget debate. The right hon. Gentleman is working hard in the absence of his right hon. Friend and, if I may say so, doing rather better. But the right hon. Gentleman will have seen a number of authoritative pronouncements, not only in international statistics but even of British businessmen with interests all over the world, showing that they are more satisfied and content with the prospects for prices and price competitiveness in this country than in most other advanced countries of the world.
§ Mr. MolloyWill my right hon. Friend agree that, no matter what statistics are produced apropos housing, education or economics showing the remarkable progress of the nation, they can be twisted by right hon. and hon. Gentlemen opposite? Should not my right hon. Friend concentrate on not being upset—not that he ever is—by the manner in which right 577 hon. and hon. Gentlemen opposite twist the truth about us, and on resolutely telling the truth about them?
§ Sir Knox CunninghamWhat about "the pound in your pocket"?
§ The Prime MinisterI think that I am not sufficiently sadistic to tell the truth about the Opposition. It is the case that four years of this kind of campaign of distortion, of personal abuse from them, of personal misrepresentation and of a general morose pleasure whenever things were difficult for Britain and morose dissatisfaction when things were going well do not seem to have impressed the British people one bit.
§ Mr. MaudlingBut I have the impression that the Prime Minister did not answer my Question. As the Government must have made some estimate of the future trend of prices in order to frame the Budget, can the right hon. Gentleman enlighten the House as to what it is?
§ The Prime MinisterI do not remember getting very much from the right hon. Gentleman when he framed the Budget. But the right hon. Gentleman and the whole House have had an opportunity of debating the Budget for six days. If they were not able to get an answer in a six-day debate, I have nothing to add to what was said in the debate.