§ Sir C. Osborneasked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs (1) in view of the near bankruptcy of the nation, if he will introduce emergency legislation freezing wages, salaries, rents, dividends, and all other forms of personal incomes for a period of two years, and drive for lower prices, so as to help those living on small fixed incomes and the exporting industries; and if he will make a statement;
(2) if, in order to shock the nation into a realisation of the state of the economy, he will give instructions for the printing of food and clothes ration books similar to those used after the war, in case the country is unable to pay for the food imports, which in 1964 cost £1,624,586,227 and rationing has to be reintroduced; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. William RodgersNo. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer informed the House on Tuesday of the measures which the Government judge it appropriate to take in our present economic situation. We shall have an opportunity to debate these matters on Monday.