§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost in 1982-83 of freezing prices in each public sector activity on the basis of output in 1981 and the forecast rate of wage inflation.
§ Mr. Bruce-GardyneThe effects of such a freeze will depend on a wide variety of factors. To estimate the size of these effects would require the use of a complex economic model and the specification of a number of additional assumptions. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Maryhill (Mr. Craigen) on 12 November last year.