§ MR. PIKE PEASE (Darlington)To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether, in reference to the tables on imports and exports at the prices of 245 1900 recently issued, and in continuation of a similar Paper of last year, any representations have been received by his Department upon the propriety of using the year 1900, when prices were considerably inflated, as a base year for his calculations; and whether the results would be appreciably affected if any other recent year had been chosen as a base year.
§ (Answered by Mr. Lloyd-George.) I am not aware of any representations of the nature referred to. The year 1900 is that which was used as a base year for a large number of the calculations with regard to British and Foreign trade and industry contained in the two fiscal volumes and, therefore, seemed most convenient for the purposes of the Return to which the hon. Member alludes. I am advised that the choice of a base year does not appreciably affect the results, and the year 1900 has obvious advantages as a starting point for a new series of statistical data of this kind.