§ 9. Mr. Carterasked the Secretary of State for Employment, taking the cost of living index at 100 on 18th June 1970, what has been the percentage increase since, based on the General Index of Retail Prices.
§ Mr. Chichester-ClarkThe General Index of Retail Prices rose by 22.4 per cent. between 16th June 1970 and 16th January 1973.
§ Mr. Carteris not that answer a savage indictment of a Government which won the General Election on a promise to cut prices "at a stroke"? Does not the hon. Gentleman agree that in areas of high unemployment and low wages such as Lincoln, Dundee and Chester-le-Street, people's standard of living has been eroded at a far faster rate than in many other areas?
§ Mr. Chichester-ClarkI thought that this Question might not be unconnected with by-electioneering, which would be better done on the hustings than in this House. However, I recall that a member of the Labour Cabinet at the time of the last election has told us that, seeing the growing shadows of things to come, his right hon. and hon. Friends ran away from rising prices.
§ Mr. Scott-HopkinsCan my hon. Friend say what has been the rise in the 1267 level of earnings over the period referred to in the Question?
§ Mr. Chichester-ClarkThe increase in earnings over that period was 34 per cent.