§ 90. Mr. Ronald Atkinsasked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she will take steps to increase the proportion of time spent by the National Board for Prices and Incomes on price investigation as compared with wage and salary investigations, in view of the small number of price references to the Board.
§ Mr. Harold WalkerThere is a preponderance of wage and salary references with the Board at present, but over a period of time there has been no serious imbalance. The N.B.P.I. has published reports since its inception on 46 price references against 58 wages and salary references. Cases are referred to the Board on their merits.
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§ 94. Mr. John Pageasked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will give an undertaking always to make a statement in the House before publishing a direction in the London and Edinburgh Gazettes imposing a wage standstill following the reference to a wage agreement to the National Board for Prices and Incomes.
§ Mrs. CastleIt would not always be possible or appropriate for me to make a statement to the House in these circumstances but I do, of course, try to keep the House in touch with actions taken in connection with major references to the National Board for Prices and Incomes.