asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is the intention of His Majesty's Government to confirm or discard the policy of freezing wages and salaries.

The policy of restraint on personal incomes, costs and prices as enunciated in the White Paper of February, 1948, and as emphatically restated by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister in his statement on 24th October last remains a policy of the first importance for the future welfare of this country.

But surely this policy of freezing salaries and wages must lead inevitably to a common level of mediocrity and output since there is no inducement to do any better?

No, Sir.

Are we to take it that the Opposition now agree that wages are not to be frozen and that they will not object to applications from working men for increases in wages?

May I ask the right hon. and learned Gentleman when he will start to give effect to the policy?

That is not a policy to which I can give effect; it is a policy to which both sides of industry have already given effect.