Orders of the Day — Economic Affairs

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 30 November 1976.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Mr Denis Healey Mr Denis Healey , Leeds East 12:00, 30 November 1976

It seems that the right hon. Lady did not say that at Prestatyn. She confirms that. This is what my right hon. Friend asked her to confirm or deny last night. It seems that she did not say that a statutory policy would never be introduced by a Government whom she leads. I am glad to hear the right hon. Lady say that will never say never again" again, or never said "never" last time.

Last night the right hon. Lady said: I said during the passage of the Bill … last year that I do not believe in a statutory incomes policy."—[Official Report. 29th November 1976; Vol. 921, c. 610.] She did not say last night that she would never introduce one. She went on to say that she did believe in a voluntary incomes policy. What a great triumph it was to get that confession out of the right hon. Lady after the days and nights of debate during which we tried to find out the Opposition's view.

I wonder whether the right hon. Member for Leeds, North-East shares the right hon. Lady's view. Does he believe in a voluntary incomes policy? If the right hon. Lady believes in it, why was the phrase never used in the document entitled "The Right Approach", which was circulated at the last conference of the Conservative Party? I shall not weary the House by reading out the lucubrations by which the Conservative Party sought to avoid any commitment on incomes policy for or against.