§ Mr. Whitakerasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, to help the Government's prices and incomes policy, he will take steps to stabilise essential food prices at their current level, and to subsidise any increased costs due to devaluation which cannot be absorbed.
§ Mr. PeartNo. Devaluation will inevitably increase the price of some essential foodstuffs and the Government has always recognised that as a result there will be unavoidable increases in the cost of living. I intend, however, to ensure as far as possible, by the use of my Department's price surveillance arrangements, that prices do not increase by more than is justifiable.