The right hon. Gentleman must be more precise in his language. A wage offer by the National Coal Board which amounts to an increase of 13 per cent. in a year, plus 3½ per cent. in addition from an efficiency scheme, is not holding down wages in any sense whatever of the English language.

Yesterday my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer described the extent of the subsidies that are being paid to industries on prices—£150 million for coal, which may double, and £75 million for electricity—and he said that we would enter into discussions with the nationalised industries about any increases in prices to meet part of that subsidy.