Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 6 December 1973.
Mr Anthony Barber
, Altrincham and Sale
12:00,
6 December 1973
The Director-General of the National Economic Development Office this morning issued a statement making clear that certain accounts of yesterday's meeting of the National Economic Development Council were incorrect. It was not the case that Ministers, management and unions agreed that the Government's economic target were unobtainable. What the council, including the unions and management, agreed was that we should aim to maintain growth of output at the highest possible level permitted by physical limitations of supplies of oil and other materials, and that industry could absorb an overall cut of 10 per cent. in oil supplies without widespread loss of output. That was the view not only of the Government but also of unions and management.