HC Deb 23 January 1973 vol 849 cc214-6
Q2. Mr. Ashton

asked the Prime Minister whether he will place in the Library a copy of his public speech to the Gimcrack Club on 8th December on taxation matters.

Q7. Mr. Meacher

asked the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of his public speech at York on 8th December concerning taxation.

The Prime Minister

I did so on 11th December, Sir.

Mr. Ashton

Is the Prime Minister aware that in that speech he said that he may have been a source of gain to the people who backed him at the last election? Was he talking about people on the same salary as himself who are £6.16 a week better off because of the income tax cuts, or was he referring to the price of horse meat which has risen as high as the price of beef?

The Prime Minister

In that speech I was talking about those who backed me against the public opinion polls. They did rather better at the last election than those who backed the Leader of the Opposition.

Mr. Meacher

Since the Prime Minister referred in that speech to the fairness of his Government's taxation reforms, especially VAT, why is VAT being introduced to push up prices during a prices freeze at exactly the same time as the abolition of the surcharge on unearned income will give the lion's share of £300 million a year almost wholly to the rich?

The Prime Minister

The hon. Gentleman has no justification for the first part of his remarks about the impact of VAT. As we explained in the White Paper action is being taken to ensure that in terms of the reflection in prices this is carried out. In any event, we shall be debating this tomorrow.

As for the second part of the hon. Gentleman's supplementary question, two-thirds of the benefits which will follow from unification go to those with incomes below £5,000 a year, and 30 per cent. will go to the 11 per cent. of taxpayers who have retired.

Mr. Kenneth Lewis

While my right hon. Friend is considering putting copies of various speeches in the Library, will he also consider placing there a copy of the full text of his recent presidential— I mean Prime Ministerial—Press conference so that we can examine it and discover whether representatives of the Press are as good at putting questions to him as we are?

The Prime Minister

If it is not already in the Library, it can be easily put there.