§ 28. Mr. Carterasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many letters have been addressed to him drawing attention to price increases arising out of decimalisation; and what replies he has sent.
§ Mr. Patrick JenkinSince D Day we have received two letters about price increases. One was from the hon. Member, to whom a reply has been sent.
§ Mr. CarterWould not the hon. Gentleman accept that those two letters were of extremely high quality, adequately detailing the sense of outrage felt in the country at the way in which people have been robbed and filched from over the whole process of decimalisation? Has not the robbery been made all the easier and possible because the Government scrapped every possible device for the protection of the consumers while decimalisation was taking place?
§ Mr. JenkinI think that the overwhelming majority of people in this House and outside it have been greatly encouraged by the very smooth way in which the changeover to decimalisation has taken place and the extent to which there has been, as was expected, rounding down as well as rounding up. The only thing which seems to have been un- 238 changed is the hon. Gentleman's own view that he and his constituents were going to be robbed. But that has not been the experience of the overwhelming majority of the population.