§ Mr. Shoreasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the effect on public expenditure and the effect on retail prices if the demand for the output of nationalised industries were to rise by 3 per cent. in 1982–83 compared with 1981–82.
§ Sir Geoffrey Howe[pursuant to his reply, 12 February 1982, c. 500–1]: An increase in the demand for the output of the nationalised industries is unlikely to occur spontaneously or in isolation from changes in a wide variety of other factors. The effects of such a change upon the basis of a number of assumptions could theoretically be calculated. But the results would have little value.