§ Q2. Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Prime Minister what problems have been referred by himself or by Ministers to the Cabinet Inter-Disciplinary Unit; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Prime MinisterThe advice given by the Central Policy Review Staff, like 1669 all advice given by officials to Ministers, is confidential.
§ Mrs. ShortWhile thanking the Prime Minister for that non-answer, may I point out that the whole House will be interested to hear what this body is doing. May I suggest two subjects which he might usefully refer to it? First, will he ask it to investigate methods of stabilising prices now that S.E.T. has been cut? Second, will he ask it to investigate the method of income tax reduction introduced by his right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer which gives a man earning £5,000 a year a 6 per cent. increase in his effective income, a man earning £50,000 a year a 67 per cent. increase, and a man earning £100,000 a year more than 100 per cent., virtually doubling his effective income, while a man earning £1,000 a year gets only a 1½ per cent. increase?
§ The Prime MinisterI do not think that it is necessary for the hon. Lady to make at Question Time her speech in the Budget debate. These are not matters of the kind dealt with by the Central Policy Review Staff.
§ Mr. Harold WilsonWhile we all welcome the more optimistic news of the negotiations, can the Prime Minister say whether the Rolls-Royce affair was referred to the Central Policy Review Staff?
§ The Prime MinisterJust as the work of the Cabinet Secretariat is never revealed, so in respect of the Central Policy Review Staff—which is part of the Cabinet Secretariat—it would not be wise to embark on a discussion item by item of matters which it may or may not have considered.