§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection to what extent the increases in the retail price index between 23rd April 1974 and 19th April 1977 on the items as stated in the reply of Tuesday 14th June arose as a result of tax increases, other Government actions or policy and membership of the Common Market.
§ Mr. MacLennanEstimates of the effect on the retail price index of tax increases and other Government actions implicit in Budget and interim Budget measures over the period were given in a reply to the hon. Member for South Ayrshire [Vol. 930, cols.305–306.] These measures were necessary to contain the public sector borrowing requirement and to maintain confidence in sterling. There is no official estimate of the extent to which EEC membership has affected retail prices throughout that period because it is not possible to calculate precisely how prices would have behaved had we not joined.