§ 45. Sir John Hallasked the Lord President of the Council if consideration of the recommendations contained in the Ross Committee's report have been concluded ; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. PriorI have nothing to add to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Hertfordshire, South-West (Sir Gilbert Longden) on 5th November, when I said that it was the Government's intention to announce their reaction to the Population Panel's report later in the autumn.—[Vol. 863, c. 607.]
§ Sir John HallAs it is estimated that over the next 40 years, at a medium rate of growth, the world's population will double and this country's will increase by 22 per cent., if it is not a matter of urgency that the Lane Committee's recommendations should be considered 26 and that, if they are not accepted, the Government should come forward with their own proposals?
§ Mr. PriorWithout necessarily engaging in argument on my hon. Friend's figures. I should point out that the Government have promised their views on the Population Panel's report very soon. I think that we had better await those views.
§ Mr. FellIs it not a myth that the population is still rising in this country? I understand that there is a net loss at the moment.
§ Mr. PriorI think my hon. Friend will find that the population is still rising because the number of women of child-bearing age is still increasing, although the average size of family is declining.