At the same time it was clear from the official Report that had been made, and also from all the other information that came from Lewis, that they were at the beginning of a Severe Economic Crisis amongst the inhabitants.

During the past two years, Mauritius, like our sugar-producing colonies in the West Indies, has been faced with a very Severe Economic Crisis which, as we have been told, has been due to surplus stocks and overproduction in the world supply of sugar, and, consequently, an artificially low selling price of that commodity.

It is very unfortunate for the Government that it should take the final stages of this cynical and frivolous Bill, a week after the Chancellor of the Exchequer came down here and told us we were entering a very Severe Economic Crisis.

It seems to me that when we are facing a Severe Economic Crisis and when we have to cut down expenditure on meals for school children, we ought to pay attention to every Supplementary Estimate of this kind which is brought before us.

All I am saying is that the Labour Government, in pursuing the path that they did, and having the courage to take the steps that they took, brought our country through a very Severe Economic Crisis.

In the few months in which we have been in power, and despite inheriting a Severe Economic Crisis, we have brought in three major measures to try to resuscitate this Service which has been so neglected.

First, I most certainly agree with most of my hon. Friends who have demonstrated tonight that the rise in judges' salaries is most untimely having regard to the Severe Economic Crisis through which the country is passing.

In spite of the fact that we have suffered and are still suffering a Severe Economic Crisis, we have managed to maintain full employment.

I have spent hours in the Committee listening to the hon. Gentleman's hon. Friends propos-ing that we should cut the standard rate of Income Tax, despite the fact that we face a Severe Economic Crisis.

We realise that the country is facing a Severe Economic Crisis - I sometimes wonder whether some of my hon. Friends realise just how severe it is - and it is therefore hard to argue for any more money, for I would argue very strongly against any measures for general reflation at the moment because this would bring a balance of payments crisis crashing down on us.

This country cannot afford such a very large sum at a time when we are faced with a Severe Economic Crisis.

Does my hon. Friend recall that when we last had a Severe Economic Crisis house building was severely hit?

The main practical problem I must face is to devise a scheme which will be simple to operate and will not consume in administration most of the resources which might be made available, at a time of Severe Economic Crisis.

At the same time, I am bound to add - and everyone in the House I think will agree with me here - that we are facing up to this challenge and making decisions on priority against a background of the most Severe Economic Crisis that this country has ever known in peacetime, a record balance of payments deficit, record inflation and totally unnecessary damage inflicted on our economy by the three-day week.

From the common sense point of view, it is obvious that the country is facing a Severe Economic Crisis and it is reasonable that industry should have to carry on additional burden.

She is also beginning the long haul back, in a Severe Economic Crisis, to a totally free National Health Service at source, democratically run, with the only criterion for hospital treatment or a hospital bed being that of need.

The hon. Member for Lancaster will be aware that her leader, amongst others, has said that we are in the middle of a Severe Economic Crisis.

The country is facing its most Severe Economic Crisis since the war, in many ways a more severe economic crisis even than the crisis of the inter-war period.

The Government are in a Severe Economic Crisis and we accept that they face problems in respect of public spending.

First, it is almost criminal that at a time of Severe Economic Crisis we are not making full use of our assets, and those include bricks and mortar.

We are facing a Severe Economic Crisis and are under pressure, particularly from the Opposition, to reduce public expenditure.

For example, the arts have always flourished in modern Manchester, even at times of Severe Economic Crisis.

Surely the Government will agree that that should receive top priority at this time of Severe Economic Crisis and unemployment.

I cannot agree to arbitration, because it can be open-ended and we cannot be open-ended in a Severe Economic Crisis.

Britain is suffering from a Severe Economic Crisis, and every resource must be utilised to speed our industrial and social reconstruction.

His speech added up to an expression of a Right-wing reactionary view which we often hear from Conservative Members - all the benefits that working people in particular have gained over the years should be taken from them as a way of dealing with Our Severe Economic Crisis.

I agree with my hon. Friend that the success in Corby shows what can be achieved by towns elsewhere that face a Severe Economic Crisis.

Given the Severe Economic Crisis, African countries do not have the funds themselves to invest in agriculture.

They may not agree with my analysis of the downturn in our economy, or of the Severe Economic Crisis that many ruralareas face, but they must recognise that the new clause gives them a power they can use if they wish: the Opposition parties cannot make it happen; the Low Pay Commission is not in the driving seat, and cannot initiate these powers.

This comes at a time when the whole of the livestock sector is in Severe Economic Crisis because prices have not adjusted to the steep increase in feed, energy and regulation costs.

We are squandering women's skills and talents, resulting in the inefficient use of human capital at a time of Severe Economic Crisis.

We have debated the Government's interesting timing in choosing to sell off a large minority stake in Royal Mail during a Severe Economic Crisis, which has already raised concerns about whether the taxpayer will get value for money.

That created the conditions for the Severe Economic Crisis that we are all now suffering from, and mortgaged the future for our children and grandchildren.

Kiev needs our reassurance, but mostly our money to contain a Severe Economic Crisis.

There is a broad recognition among Equitable Life policyholders of the stresses and strains that the last coalition Government faced, particularly with a Severe Economic Crisis and a ballooning deficit.