§ 25. Mr. HOLMESasked the Minister of Labour the index figure of the cost of living on 1st April; to what extent it has fallen during the month; and how many classes of workers will have their wages reduced in consequence of the fall?
§ Sir M. BARLOWThe index figure relating to 1st April is not yet available. Before the calculations can be made, large numbers of voluntary returns have to be collected from shopkeepers and others, and the computations cannot ordinarily be completed until shortly after the middle of each month. It is estimated that the total number of wage and salary earners whose rates of pay are regulated directly in accordance with the movements of the cost of living index figure is about 1,500,000. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the "Labour Gazette" for December last, which contains, on pages 662–4, a summary of the sliding scale agreements governing the rates of pay of the principal classes of workers affected by arrangements of this nature.