Mr. HealyFollowing lengthy discussions in the National Economic Development Council on the long-standing problems of inadequate investment and industrial capacity, two studies on the investment programmes of the nationalised industries are being made. The first is designed to give them a reasonable degree of assurance about the stability of their long-term investment, so long as it satisfies a stringent economic and financial scrutiny in the course of the annual investment reviews. The second concerns the industries' relations with their suppliers in manufacturing industry.
The measures we are now taking to restore economic pricing policies are an essential feature in bringing commercial criteria to bear on the industries' investment programmes. And I believe that these policies and the return to financial viability will do much to improve morale throughout the whole field of public enterprise and to help ensure its efficient use of resources.