asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much in money terms before the deduction of tax, wages increased in each of the last three calendar years; what percentage increase was involved in each year; and to what extent in each year this was balanced by increased production.

The table below gives the information. As separate figures for wages are not yet available for 1960, figures for wages and salaries combined have also been given. The increase in production has been measured by the change in the total gross domestic product, estimated from expenditure data valued at 1954 prices.

Between 1946 and 1959 wages rose by £4,730 million (144 per cent.). Separate figures for wages are not yet available for 1960, but wages and salaries together rose by 7½ per cent. between 1959 and 1960 so that wages alone probably reached a figure about 160 per cent. above that for 1946. Between 1946 and 1960 ordinary dividend payments rose by £584 million (164 per cent.).All these figures are in monetary terms and before deducting taxes.