asked the Minister of Education what is the fall in the number of children taking school dinners since the latest increase of 2d. per meal, both nationally and for Salford in particular, including the autumn figures.

The autumn figures are 9,717 for Salford and 2,815,307 for England and Wales, excluding Nottinghamshire, for which the return is not yet available. These figures show a fall of about 1,050 and about 210,200 on those for 1956.

Does not the Minister think these figures are very serious? Does not he agree that a good meal is as vital to a child's education as a good school teacher, and that this miserable financial economy cannot justify the damage to the health of so many children?

One has to remember that the fall in numbers is, in part, the result of fewer children being present at school as a result of the 'flu epidemic. [HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."] Certainly there were nearly 1,000 fewer children at school at Salford, and nearly 170,000 fewer in England and Wales, which is a big difference.

Is not the Minister aware that five weeks ago he told me that the delay in introducing the figures was due to the 'flu epidemic, and that clearly the epidemic has gone since the hon. Gentleman has produced the figures?

The hon. Gentleman asked for the autumn figures, and the 'flu epidemic is relevant to those figures.

asked the Minister of Education the number of children taking school meals in Wales during October in the years 1957, 1956 and 1951, respectively.

172,864 this year, 189,450 last year and 187,170 in 1951.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the teaching profession, without whom he could not carry on the school meals, are thoroughly fed up with his failure to honour the promises made by the Department right through the year? When will he give teachers a fair deal in connection with the school meals service?

Do not let us be too gloomy about the school meals service. The meal is still extremely good value at a shilling. At the start of the war, in 1940, one in thirty children were having the meals, whereas it was one in three in 1945, and today is very nearly half.

In view of the fact that the Minister has completely misunderstood me and I should like to have a satisfactory reply, I beg to give notice that I shall raise the matter on the Adjournment.

I did not mean to be discourteous to the hon. Member. I thought his Question—

My supplementary question—

—related to the number of children taking school meals.

asked the Minister of Education if he will take steps to arrange for a grant to be made to the Institute of Almoners to assist students to undertake training as almoners.

Assistance to students for this purpose is already available either from local education authorities or under a scheme of bursaries administered by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health.

I am aware of that, but is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that these grants are made on a means test basis? Could he not follow the example of the Home Office which, in the case of training for child care and probation, does not insist upon these limits?

I know the hon. Gentleman's concern in this matter. I am aware of the burden on local education authorities of making awards for the training of medical auxiliaries generally. Assistance to this institute is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health.

asked the Minister of Education what proposals Her Majesty's Government have for increasing the estimated expenditure on education during the present financial year.

The Ministry's Vote for the current year is £33 million larger than last year's.

Is not that a very insignificant sum? [HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."] Yes, very insignificant, compared with the absolute importance of developing education in this country not only of a classical character but of a technical kind. How in the world can this country keep its position if we do not spend more upon education than is indicated in the Parliamentary Secretary's Answer?

I quite agree with the hon. Gentleman about the importance of education. The proportion of the national income devoted to the service has gone up substantially under the present Government.

asked the Minister of Education what estimate he has formed of how educational expenditure is likely to vary over the next few years.

I expect educational expenditure to continue to increase over the next few years.

If this is so, is the Minister certain that the proportion that the local education authority will receive from the proposed general grant will be not less than the amount it would receive if the percentage grant continued?

The expansion which we must expect can be allowed for just as well under the proposed general grant as under the percentage grant but we shall, of course, be debating this matter fully next week.

The hon. Gentleman has said that he expects educational expenditure to increase over the next few years. Can he say also that the amount of the block grant will increase over the next few years?

I ask the hon. Member to have a careful look at Clause 2 (1) and (4) of the Local Government Bill.

asked the Minister of Education if he will now invite a member of the National Association of Schoolmasters to join the Teachers' Panel of the Burnham Committee so that the Association's views on the question of salaries may be fully presented thereon.

No, Sir. As my right hon. Friend stated in his reply on 14th November to my hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff, North (Mr. Llewellyn), he sees no reason to dissent from the view taken by his predecessors on this matter.

Would my hon. Friend not agree that, although there are already six organisations on the Burnham Committee, the National Association of Schoolmasters, the second largest organisation of teachers, is unrepresented on the Committee? Is my hon. Friend aware that the Association has 17,000 members and is the voice of the men at the primary and secondary-modern level? As there are three women on the Committee, ought not the voice of these men be heard?

I hope my hon. Friend will remember that representation on the Burnham Committee is not determined solely by the size of the organisation concerned. The smaller associations on the Committee represent teachers with a distinct interest in certain types of school with which the Burnham Committee is concerned. There is value in having the Committee constituted according to the pattern of our maintained schools, and in not introducing representatives primarily concerned with the special interests of either men or women teachers.

asked the Minister of Education to what extent he has considered the effect of Circular 313 upon infant and other schools; and what is his conclusion.

The effect has been to improve conditions for the children and to make better use of the available staff.

While thanking the Minister for his courtesy in having written to me about the position in the County of Warwick, may I ask if I am to understand that the Warwickshire Education Authority is free to admit children to infants' schools if they reach their fifth birthday in the term, provided there are reception classes? Did the Parliamentary Secretary inform the county education officer of the contents of the letter which the hon. Gentleman sent to me?

There was certainly nothing private in the letter I sent to the hon. Gentleman. The local education authority has discretion under the circular to treat each school on its merits. The circular does not affect the admission of children in the term in which they will become five. If there are further points, perhaps the hon. Gentleman will correspond with me again.

asked the Minister of Education what is now the proportion of the eligible school population selected for education at grammar schools and at technical schools, respectively; and what proportion of the remainder has the opportunity to take the General Certificate of Education in other schools.

In January, 1957, 20·3 per cent. of the 13-year old pupils for whom local education authorities were responsible were in grammar schools or the grammar streams of other secondary schools. Five per cent. of the 14-year old pupils were in technical schools or streams. More than a quarter of the remaining pupils were in secondary schools that normally enter candidates for the General Certificate of Education.

Has the Parliamentary Secretary seen the advertisement accepted for the 4s. 6d. book of stamps by the Post Office and which reads:

"If you have average intelligence, no matter what your previous education you can quickly qualify for success with our help."

There are bound to be differences of some degree between one area and another. My right hon. Friend's Department does not prescribe which secondary-modern schools may enter for the General Certificate of Education. I think the hon. Gentleman would agree that as time goes on more and more secondary schools are rapidly becoming first-class, respected educational institutions in their areas.

asked the Minister of Education to what extent he plans to improve the maintenance grants, both in amount and in duration, so that mature applicants may be willing to become students at the three training colleges for technical teachers and the target of 700 per annum recommended by the Dr. Willis Jackson Committee attained.

My right hon. Friend intends very shortly to put to the local authorities' associations proposals for improving these grants, and also to discuss with the authorities concerned the provision of new accommodation for the three colleges. This should enable them to take 500 students, which was the number recommended as an immediate aim by the Willis Jackson Committee.

I am sure that the House and the nation will be very grateful for that news. Will my hon. Friend bear in mind the need to cover the period between the end of training and the taking of the new post in the autumn? These candidates for teaching find it very expensive to live with no income between those points. I hope that the maintenance grants may cover that period as well as the period of training at college.

We shall certainly bear my hon. Friend's point in mind.

asked the Minister of Education by how many the students admitted this autumn fell short of the numbers recommended by the Dr. Willis Jackson Committee.

360 students were admitted this year to the three training colleges for technical teachers. As my hon. Friend will recall, the Willis Jackson Committee recommended that the number of students should be raised to 500 in the first instance.

asked the Minister of Education how many sandwich courses have been started at technical colleges this year; and how many students have been enrolled at these courses.

Eleven new sandwich courses, with an enrolment of 89 students, were approved and started at the beginning of 1957. Forty-seven more courses were approved to start this autumn, but I do not yet know how many students have enrolled for them.

While thanking the Parliamentary Secretary for his reply, may I ask him to do his utmost to encourage and promote more of these sandwich courses, which are absolutely necessary in view of the demands being made on technical manpower?

I am going up to the North-East this evening and I shall be making a speech about it tomorrow.

Will the hon. Gentleman be able to say, after an appropriate period of time, how many of the students satisfactorily completed the course? Will it not be important to know that?

Yes, I quite agree with the hon. Gentleman.

On a point of order. I have had a reply from the Parliamentary Secretary referring to some extra-Parliamentary activity of his, but I have had no invitation to this activity. It is hardly in order to refer me by way of reply to a statement he is going to make in the future when I shall not have the pleasure of hearing it.

I will see that the hon. Gentleman receives a copy.

asked the Minister of education which are the 49 county educational authorities which will be unable to complete their building programme of secondary modern schools by 1960; and what other date has been fixed for the completion of this important programme.

With permission, I will circulate the list in the OFFICIAL REPORT cannot say by what date it will be possible to complete the rural reorganisation programme.

Does the Parliamentary Secretary remember that the original statement with regard to the completion of this reorganisation programme was made a month or two before the last General Election? Can he say whether another statement will be made a month or two before the next General Election? Do we not want to know from what date this is postponed?

Under reorganisation schemes 33 schools have been already built and 147 have been already started. That is not too bad. My right hon. Friend agrees that the replacing of these old schools in rural areas is badly needed and certainly greatly regrets that the economic situation has made it necessary to slow down the programme. I cannot say more at the moment, but, naturally, as soon as there is further news I will see that the hon. Member is informed.

asked the Minister of Education when he expects to set a date by which all the 2,200 senior children in Norfolk who will be without secondary modern education will be adequately provided for.

I cannot say at present.

Is it not necessary to make a statement on this matter as early as possible so that the local education authority can make its plans accordingly?

All I can tell the hon. Member is that the figure of 2,200 senior pupils in unreorganised schools will be reduced to 1,900 when Reepham Secondary Modern School, which is to be started next year, is finished. I cannot go into that at the moment because it involves future rebuilding programmes.

asked the Minister of Education the number of new schools he estimates is required to complete the reorganisation of education in rural areas; and what is their estimated cost on present building prices.

142, at an estimated cost of about £15 million.

asked the Minister of Education what local education authorities have, in the last 12 months, made proposals to him for the establishment of teachers' training colleges; and what reply he has made.

The only firm proposal was one made in November, 1956, by the West Bromwich Local Education Authority. The authority was told that the Minister could not agree to it.

Could the hon. Gentleman say why that proposal was refused? Is it not the case that if we are to make any educational progress with smaller classes and the raising of the school-leaving age we are bound to need a bigger intake of teachers than we are getting at present?

I know the concern of the hon. Member in this matter, which we have debated before. At the moment, we do not think that a heavy expenditure now in starting new colleges would be justified. If we want to increase the supply of teachers from training colleges, it would be more economical to expand existing colleges than to establish new ones. If circumstances and policies change and larger plant is needed, we shall look at this again in consultation with the National Advisory Council. I am glad to say that we are now getting more graduates each year into teaching, which is naturally something of which we must take account.

asked the Minister of Education how many associations representing educational interests have written to him commending the Government's block-grant proposals.

None, Sir.

Is it not therefore absolutely clear that never before have all the people connected with our educational service been so unanimous and inflexibly opposed to the menace of the proposals of the present Government? Does the hon. Gentleman want his right hon. Friend to be the first Minister of Education who has not a single supporter for his policy in the educational service of this country?

I am not sure that an austere logician would think the hon. Member's supplementary quite followed from my original Answer, but I think we had better await the debate on this subject next week.

Could not the hon. Gentleman arrange for the Association of Conservative Teachers to send him just a word of comfort?

We have had some very happy discussions on this topic—I certainly have—with the Association of Conservative Teachers and many other bodies, but I do not want to anticipate next week's debate.

Is my hon. Friend aware that many people welcome the proposals of the Government to give greater freedom to democratic local authorities by giving them the opportunity, if they are so minded, to devote more of their resources to education than is at present permitted?

I am grateful to my hon. Friend. There have been some excellent salvoes fired on each side in the Press and there has been a thoroughly healthy debate so far.

asked the Minister of Education how many schools there are in this country which are scheduled for demolition because of the age of the structure; and if he will set out in the OFFICIAL REPORT the areas so affected, distinguishing State and denominational schools, respectively.

This information is not available.

Is not the hon. Gentleman aware of the desire for more urgent action to be taken to get rid of these substandard buildings in which a great percentage of our young people are having to congregate to receive education? Is he satisfied with the progress being made to rid this country of such places?

Since the war we have had to concentrate first on beating the bulge and seeing that we do not have children out of school, but I wholly agree with the hon. Member that when that process is completed there will remain the questions of replacing old schools and also of urban reorganisation.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is his present estimate of the yield of the cinematograph levy based on current attendance figures.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how much he estimates will be produced during the next 12 months by the statutory levy now being imposed on cinemas; and whether he proposes to amend the regulations as a result of his recent interview with representatives of cinema proprietors.

If attendance figures continue well below last year's there may be some shortfall, but it is too early to revise the estimate of £3¾ million given for the year which began on 20th October, 1957. For the same reasons, it is too early to consider amending the regulations.

While it may be too early to give any precise reply, will the right hon. Gentleman give an undertaking that if there is a really serious shortfall which becomes apparent during the first six months he will take steps, or at least review the situation, so that producers for whom the statutory levy is being made will have some idea of where they stand?

If there is a serious and continuing short-fall, of course we shall look at the situation again.

Has the right hon. Gentleman seen the statement by the Association of Independent Cinemas in which it is claimed that they will be about £1 million out of pocket as a result of this? Does he agree with that estimate, or can he give his own estimate?

Estimates of cinema attendances are very difficult to make. I think we must wait and see what actually happens.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the difficulty of protecting customers against over-charging unless shopkeepers state the price per lb. of their goods; and if, therefore, he will set up a committee to inquire into the advisability of initiating legislation to compel butchers, poulterers, and fishmongers to sell their goods by weight and declare the price per lb.

The Hodgson Committee on Weights and Measures Legislation made recommendations about sale by weight, but it did not make any recommendations about declaring the price per lb. Its recommendations about the retail sale of fish and poultry by weight are likely to be implemented by regulations after the necessary trade consultations have taken place. Butcher's meat is already required to be sold by weight. My right hon. Friend does not consider that a requirement to state the price per lb. is a suitable subject for legislation.

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that obviously we on this side of the House are in advance of the Hodgson Committee, which is a long way in advance of the Board of Trade? Is his statement that butchers are compelled to state the price per lb. of meat correct, because I am not sure of that? Is he aware that many people in the lower income groups suffer very much from this form of overcharging of 2d. or 3d. on various fractions of a pound? Could he not look at the matter again?

I can assure the hon. Lady that meat must be weighed in front of the customer, or the weight declared by delivery note or label, whether the meat is pre-packed or not.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many non-food household commodities are now sold without statutory obligation to state weight, or number of contents per packet, or per box.

All non-food household commodities except coal.

I am told that all are now without an obligation to state the number of contents per packet and so on. In that case, how is it possible accurately to assess the cost of living if these fluctuations are taking place every day?

Questions about the assessment necessary to compile the cost-of-living index should he addressed to my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that since the end of controls fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, sugar and flour confectionery are being sold in self-service stores and super-markets without any declaration of weight; and if he will take steps by Statutory Instrument to protect consumers from short weight in these commodities.

It is an offence to give short weight of any foodstuffs. Meat, sugar and potatoes must be sold by weight, which, except in the case of sugar and potatoes pre-packed by the retailer, must be indicated to the retail purchaser. The Hodgson Committee on Weights and Measures Legislation recommended that fresh fruit, vegetables and fish, but not flour confectionery, should also be sold by weight. This and the Committee's recommendations about marking are being considered in connection with the regulations which my right hon. Friend proposes to make.

How can the hon. Member stand there, tall, bland, urbane and with his tongue in his cheek, and give a reply which shows that he is not familiar with the recommendations of the Hodgson Committee? It is the second time today he has given this reply. The Hodgson Committee Report revealed the growth of the self-service store and pointed out the dangers. The hon. Member surely knows that all these items which I have mentioned are sold without any necessity to state the weight and that our weights and measures inspectors are puzzled in the extreme to know how they can protect the consumer.

If the hon. Lady studies the answer, which had to be rather long because her Question was rather long, I think she will see not only that I understand the recommendations of the Hodgson Committee but also that we are taking steps to implement some of the recommendations by regulation. If she would like a more elaborate explanation than I can give in answer to a supplementary question, I should be glad to see her at any time to explain matters in more detail.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the approximate number of tourists and visitors from overseas who came to Wales last year; how this number compared with the previous year; and what steps he will take, in conjunction with the Welsh Tourist Board, to increase these numbers.

The British Travel and Holidays Association has estimated that the number of overseas visitors who came to Wales in 1955 was about 100,000. There were 70,000 more visitors from overseas to the United Kingdom last year than in 1955, and I am sure Wales shared in this increase. The Association will continue to meet the cost of the Welsh Tourist Board's overseas publicity on an agreed basis and will also advertise the attractions of Wales in their own publicity programme.

Whilst thanking my right hon. Friend for that reply, may I ask if he is aware that the Welsh Tourist Board, out of somewhat inadequate resources, is making great efforts to increase this form of currency earning from abroad? Will he take account of the fact that far too many visitors to this country limit their visits to London and Stratford-on-Avon and thereby get a most inadequate impression of the British Isles?

I agree that the Welsh Tourist Board is doing a very good job, and I should like to see visitors from overseas spending a little more time in the United Kingdom. If they could do that by going to Wales they would be well advised.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that many new cars delivered to the docks for the export trade and to distributors for the home trade are damaged mechanically by conditions arising from the car-delivery business, and that the trade would welcome an inquiry; and whether his Department would be prepared to hold one.

No, Sir. If the hon. Lady has any evidence of damage I should be glad to bring it to the notice of the motor manufacturers and others concerned.

That is not the question. Is the Minister aware that both the Transport and General Workers' Union and the industry itself are convinced that mechanical damage is done by the overdriving of these cars, and that furthermore it is due to inefficient managements causing too many journeys to be made each day? In view of that, is he not prepared to reconsider the question of an inquiry, which we all feel should have very wide terms of reference and would therefore be better conducted by the Board of Trade?

No, Sir. I have made inquiries from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, which says that it has no evidence of any damage. I think it is a matter which the manufacturers and their drivers should settle between them.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that West Germany have signed a trade agreement with East Germany for an exchange of goods during 1958–59 of $260 million; that more than $47 million worth of iron and steel, in addition to $2,400,000 worth of non-ferrous metals are to be supplied to East Germany by West Germany; and whether he will investigate the possibility of Great Britain arriving at a similar trade agreement with East Germany.

Yes, Sir. But these are unofficial arrangements between neighbours. So far as we are concerned, any trade agreement must be a matter for representative trade organisations, not for the Government.

Whether it is official or not, or whatever the arrangements are, is it not unfair to British manufacturers that East and West Germany are doing an enormous trade, while British manufacturers who want to do import-export business are barred, or at least not helped, by the board of Trade? Will not the right hon. Gentleman take steps at least to put the British manufacturers on the same footing as West German manufacturers?

The point is that we do not recognise the East German Government.

Nor does Western Germany.

It is therefore a matter for our manufacturers, if they wish, to make private arrangements. That is how the matter rests at present.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, while the Canadian trade delegation is in this country, he will discuss with its members the possibility of developing the tourist traffic so that more Canadian visitors may be received at our holiday and health resorts.

Yes, Sir; as soon as the Canadian Minister for Trade and Commerce arrived I suggested that we should have such a talk during the last week of the Mission's stay.

Has my right hon. Friend had that talk?

We have not yet reached the last week of the Mission's stay, but when it comes round, next week, we shall have that talk.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that, since 1951, there has been an increase of approximately 200 to 400 bankruptcies in each year; what is the reason for these continued increases; and what action he proposes to take to reduce bankruptcies to their pre-1951 level.

There has been no such regular increase. In fact, since 1953, the annual totals show a small decrease as compared with each preceding year.

Will the Minister look again at the figures? The figures which he gave me previously show an increase of between 200 and 400 in the years which I have quoted. If those figures from him are correct, as I assume they are, will he explain the reason for this increase?

I suspect that the hon. Member has failed to see that the figures referred to receiving orders and not bankruptcies.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to what extent British exports to Egypt and the countries of the Middle East have increased since 1955.

Total exports (including re-exports) to Egypt have declined from £29 million in 1955 to £1·3 million in the first ten months of this year, but total exports to the countries of the Middle East excluding Egypt have risen from £131 million in the full year, 1955 to £152·1 million in the first ten months of 1957.

Could the Minister say what steps are being taken to increase our trade with Egypt?

That is another Question.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what conclusions have been reached by the Working Party which is considering the advisability of establishing a Customs Union, Common Market and Free Trade Area in the Bagdad Pact region.

The Working Party recommended that for the present the study of a Customs Union or Common Market should not be proceeded with, but that the possibility of a Free Trade Area should be examined.

May I ask the hon. Member whether his Department, in association with other Departments of the Government, will take great care before proceeding with this scheme and will take into consideration the danger of making a further division of the nations in the Middle East, which may be very serious for the cause of peace?

This Report has to be considered by the Economic Committee of the Bagdad Pact early next year. Pending that, I think it would be wise to make no comment.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give consideration to the possibility of replacing the present system of varying Purchase Taxes by a general sales tax.

I cannot add to my right hon. Friend's reply on this subject to the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Battersea, North (Mr. Jay) on 12th November.

Does not my hon. Friend think that it is rather a good idea?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of the increase in the gold and dollar reserves since he raised the Bank Rate to 7 per cent. in September has been brought about by the influx into the United Kingdom of short-term capital funds from abroad.

On the best judgment that can be made, and apart from the drawing on the Export Import Bank, the increase has arisen mainly from commercial requirements for sterling.

Does not the hon. Member appreciate that, now that speculation against sterling has largely ceased, any further improvement in the gold reserves brought about by the 7 per cent. Bank Rate will be by the inflow by short-term funds—that is, hot money—which will flow out as soon as the Bank Rate is lowered? Is a 7 per cent. Bank Rate therefore worth it?

I told the hon. Member that the best evidence that I have is that this increase has been due to commercial requirements.

Does not the hon. Member mean by "commercial requirements" short-term funds flowing into the country?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will arrange for the Board of Customs and Excise to collect Purchase Tax monthly from wholesalers instead of quarterly as at present.

No, Sir. Monthly collection would be unduly burdensome to wholesalers and would greatly increase the cost of collection.

Does the hon. Gentleman not appreciate that at present wholesalers of taxable commodities are holding very large sums of public money while these are awaiting collection? Has not the time at least arrived for a stop to be put to irregular perquisites, such as interest on public money?

No, Sir. In general, the credit which the wholesalers have in respect of tax is no longer than the credit which they give to their customers in respect of the tax which they have to recover from them.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in his Budget next year, he will consider the claim of the owners and operators of hotels and boarding houses that the manufactured goods of all kinds used in their establishments are the tools of their trade and relieve them of Purchase Tax, subject to proper safeguards.

I cannot anticipate my right hon. Friend's Budget statement.

Will my hon. Friend observe that I did not ask him to anticipate but merely to consider? Will he do that?

Yes, my right hon. Friend will consider all relevant matters in arriving at his Budget decisions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that, since 1948, the percentage share of the national income per worker accruing to industrial workers has fallen by nearly 10 per cent. whilst, over the same period, the share of salary earners, directly comparable to wage earners, including managers, shows a substantial percentage increase; and if, in view of the importance of increased production, he will lay stress on this fact in all official discussions with outside bodies which bear upon the relationship between wages and productivity.

No, Sir; in manufacturing industry between 1948 and 1956 wages per head increased much more than salaries per head.

Is the hon. Member aware that the figures quoted and many of the words used in the Question were used by his right hon. Friend in reply to me two weeks ago, and, therefore, any inaccuracies are his and not mine? in any case, will he say whether he accepts and will try to implement the policy that when wage earners increase productivity they are entitled to share both actually and relatively in the increase in national wealth?

The hon. Member is mistaken in his recollection. The allegation was in the hon. Member's supplementary question and not in my right hon. Friend's reply. The figures show that the wage earners have shared in the increased production over those years.