§ Mr. Lathamasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much prices have risen in the nationalised industries in the last 12 months; how this compares with the level of increase in the retail prices index; and if he will take steps to ensure that the public sector makes a contribution to the Government's counter-inflation policy which equates more closely with that already achieved by the private sector.
§ Mr. BrittanThe year-on-year increase in nationalised industry consumer prices in May 1981 was 22 per cent., compared with an increase of 11.7 per cent. in the retail prices index. The key to keeping the industries' prices down lies in improving their efficiency and their ability to contain costs. We are giving every encouragement to these objectives, both by the negotiation of performance aims for each industry, and by increasing the industries' exposure to market forces wherever practicable.