§ Mr. Mike Thomasasked the Prime Minister (1) whether his committee on poverty has yet considered the relative effect of price inflation on retirement pensioners, the chronic sick and disabled, individuals and families in regular receipt of supplementary benefit, and individuals and families whose income is such that they do not pay the standard rate of tax, respectively, as compared with the population as a whole;
(2) whether his committee on poverty has considered the total welfare effects of changes in food and fuel prices and rents and rates, in welfare benefits, and in fiscal policy on retirement pensioners, the chronic sick and disabled and the poor and low paid since February 1974;
203W(3) whether he will announce the composition, terms of reference and timetable of his committee on poverty and, in particular, which Government Departments are represented on it;
(4) whether his committee on poverty has yet considered the interdepartmental co-ordination involved in the combination of subsidies, social pricing and benefits in their relation to the impact of inflation on the poor.
§ The Prime MinisterI refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Chingford (Mr. Tebbit) on 25th February which applies also to the chairmanship, terms of reference and programmes of work of Cabinet Committees.