§ 14. Sir K. WOODasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has now received a report from the Food Council as to the reasonableness of the new scale of the price of flour?
§ Mr. W. GRAHAMNo, Sir. I understand that the council are experiencing great difficulty in obtaining the information which they think necessary.
§ 31. Mr. D. G. SOMERVILLEasked the President of the Board of Trade the fluctuations in the price of bread during the last six months; the corresponding fluctuations in the price of wheat from which the bread is made; and the percentage of the price of a four-pound loaf which is represented by labour?
§ Mr. GRAHAMAs the answer contains a table of figures, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. SOMERVILLEIs it not a fact that the price of bread has gone up 1d. within the last four weeks, although the price of wheat has fallen? Has there not been a consistent rise in the price of bread, although the price of wheat is coming down?
§ Mr. GRAHAMThere was a certain rise very recently. The statistics which I have given will show on examination the position from October to March. I can only add that if effective powers are wanted to deal with this matter they will be found in the Consumers' Council Bill.
§ Mr. SOMERVILLEIn view of the fact that the Government are supposed to look after the interests of the community, what steps do they propose to take?
§ Mr. GRAHAMThose steps are embodied in the Consumers' Council Bill, which the hon. Member's party has done its best to resist.
§ Mr. SOMERVILLEIn view of the very unsatisfactory attitude of the Government, I propose to raise this matter on the first available opportunity?
§ Following is the answer:
1431| The prices of the undermentioned descriptions of wheat and of the four-pound loaf during the last six months are shown in the following table: | ||||||
| — | Average price in— | |||||
| 1930. | 1931. | |||||
| Oct. | Nov. | Dec. | Jan. | Feb. | March. | |
| Per cwt. | ||||||
| Wheat. | s. | s. | s. | s. | s. | s. |
| English "Gazette Average" | 6.96 | 6.58 | 6.04 | 5.50 | 5.13 | 5.17 |
| Imported Argentine, spot, Liverpool. | 6.65 | 6.22 | 5.56 | 5.01 | 5.13 | 4.80 |
| Imported Northern Manitoba No. 2 description, ex ship, London. | 7.08 | 6.60 | 6.12 | 5.94 | 6.33 | 6.12 |
| Imported—average declared value (c.i.f.) of all wheat imported into the United Kingdom. | 7.13 | 6.38 | 5.95 | 5.72 | 5.55 | 5.23 |
| Per 4 lbs. | ||||||
| Bread. | d. | d. | d. | d. | d. | d. |
| Average retail price in the United Kingdom, as compiled by the Minister of Labour. | 8.00 (Nov. 1st) | 7.50 (Dec. 1st) | 7.50 (Jan. 1st, 1931) | 7.25 (Jan. 31st) | 7.00 (Feb. 28th) | 7.00 (Apl. 1st) |
§ Owing to the considerable variation from district to district in the cost of labour represented in the four-pound loaf it is not possible to give a satisfactory estimate for the United Kingdom as a whole.