§ Q4. Mr. Carterasked the Prime Minister if he is satisfied that the present level of Government intervention is sufficient for the achievement of his social and economic policies; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Prime MinisterYes, Sir.
§ Mr. CarterIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that when the Government have intervened there has simply resulted a decrease in living standards for a great many people, notably because of their policy of deliberately increasing the cost of food, rents, prescription charges and school meals? Is it not time for the Government to intervene to reduce the staggering level of unemployment?
§ The Prime MinisterThe question of the level of unemployment was dealt with by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the debate on the Budget. In any event, the House will have an opportunity to discuss this matter on an Opposition Supply Day. The hon. Gentleman is wrong in the first part of his supplementary question because poorer families, through the family income supplement—
§ Mr. CarterHow many of them? Two hundred thousand.
§ The Prime MinisterI do not regard 200,000 as a negligible number of families. They have benefited net from the measures which the Government have taken and which the Labour Administration completely neglected.