§ 2. Mr. Osborneasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is satisfied that the increase from £500 million to nearly £700 million in the national hire-purchase debt since the restrictions were removed last autumn does not contain the seeds of another inflationary movement; what action he proposes to take to deal with it; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. AmoryThe removal of restriction on hire purchase has given a useful stimulus to the economy. I expect its effect on expenditure to diminish as time goes on. We are not suffering at present from conditions of excessive demand, but the level of hire-purchase expenditure is kept under continuous review along with other factors in the balance of national resources and expenditure.