HC Deb 28 April 1925 vol 183 cc6-8
7. Mr. HERBERT WILLIAMS

asked the the President of the Board of Trade if he can arrange to compile monthly an index number of wholesale prices relating to the wholesale prices of the commodities comprised in the retail prices index number compiled by the Ministry of Labour, or of the raw materials from which these commodities are prepared?

Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTER:

Index numbers of wholesale prices of foods are already published monthly in the "Board of Trade Journal." It would not, however, be practicable to compile index numbers of wholesale prices for the precise articles of food to which the index numbers of retail prices compiled by the Ministry of Labour relate. The latter include, for instance, particular cuts of beef and mutton for which no wholesale price quotations are available.

Mr. PETHICK - LAWRENCE (by Private Notice)

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the percentage increase in the index number of wholesale prices in this country between 1st April, 1914, and 1st April, 1925, and whether he can give a similar figure for the United States of America?

Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTER:

The index numbers of wholesale prices prepared by the Board of Trade for this country, and by the Bureau of Labour Statistics for the United States, both relate to the average prices of the month. The index numbers prepared by the Board of Trade show, for March, 1925, an average increase in wholesale prices, as compared with March, 1914, of 71 per cent. and the same figure expresses the increase in February, 1925, as compared with February, 1914. The latest figures of the Bureau of Labour Statistics available here at present relate to the wholesale prices of February, 1925, and show that, as compared with February, 1914, wholesale prices had increased by 62 per cent.

Sir CLEMENT KINLOCH-COOKE:

May the House know, Mr. Speaker, whether this question was submitted to you as one of urgency?

Mr. SPEAKER:

The question was submitted to me, but it is not yet a Quarter to Four.

Commander BELLAIRS

Is it not necessary that 48 hours' notice should be given of a non-urgent question.

Mr. SPEAKER

That is not my reading of the Standing Orders.