The B6 females performed as expected: high pregnancy rates were observed when no further stimuli were applied (unstimulated) or when the mice were exposed to familiar B6 urine, and exposure to unfamiliar urine induced a low pregnancy rate (77% non-pregnant females) in B6.
But there is no agreement yet whether to limit the size of any further stimulus package so that the government does not go into deficit spending this year.
Without any further stimulus, the economy may then begin to shrink again.
But the overall package did not involve any further stimulus, being fiscally neutral, paid for by increase in North Sea taxation and a higher bank levy.
A premature tightening in monetary policy might leave the economy vulnerable to shocks, with the effectiveness of any further stimulus uncertain.
To explain the case for humility in economics, Mr. Solow said, look no further than the stimulus bill: "It has run its course over the past year and a half, but it is not an isolated event.
Mark Carney, the Bank's new governor, put down a marker last week when he said he saw no case for further stimulus through the Bank's quantitative easing programme.
But no member judged that further stimulus was appropriate at present.
