§ 18. Sir K. WOODasked the President of the Board of Trade whether the Food Council have now received the necessary information concerning the new price of flour; and whether he has yet received their report?
§ Mr. W. GRAHAMI presume that the right hon. Gentleman refers to the scale by which the price of bread in London is related to the price of flour. I have nothing at present to add to my reply to his question of 19th May.
§ Sir K. WOODWhen will the right hon. Gentleman be in a position to make a statement on the matter, which has now been pending for some weeks?
§ Mr. GRAHAMThere will be a meeting of the Food Council on 19th June, but, as I have informed the right hon. Gentleman, much of the difficulty turns on the absence of compulsory powers in getting the information.
§ Sir K. WOODWill the right hon. Gentleman answer the first part of the question, which has nothing to do with compulsory powers, whether they have received the necessary information?
§ Mr. GRAHAMThat raises precisely that point. It is very difficult to get the information in the absence of powers.
§ 58. Mr. HARRISasked the Minister of Labour whether she can make a statement as to the fall in the retail prices of bread, butter, meat and sugar during the last 12 months?
§ The MINISTER of LABOUR (Miss Bondfield)With the hon. Member's permission, I will circulate in the OFFICIAL
| Average Retail Prices in Great Britain and Northern Ireland at 1st May, 1930, and 1st May, 1931, as calculated from returns supplied to the Ministry of Labour. | ||||||||||
| (Note: The prices relate to the kinds and qualities usually bought by the working classes.) | ||||||||||
| —— | Average Reatail Price | Fall between 1st May, 1930, and 1st May, 1931. | ||||||||
| 1st May, 1930. | 1st May, 1931. | |||||||||
| s. | d. | s. | d. | d. | ||||||
| per | 4 lbs. | per | 4 lbs. | per 4 lbs. | ||||||
| Bread | … | … | … | … | … | 8¾ | 7 | 1¾ | ||
| per | lb. | per | lb. | per lb. | ||||||
| Butter, Fresh | … | … | … | … | … | 1 | 7½ | 1 | 5¼ | 2¼ |
| Butter, Salt | … | … | … | … | … | 1 | 6 | 1 | 3½ | 2½ |
| Beef, British:— | ||||||||||
| Ribs | … | … | … | … | … | 1 | 4¾ | 1 | 3¾ | 1 |
| Thin Flank | … | … | … | … | … | 9¼ | 8¾ | ½ | ||
| Beef, Chilled or Frozen:— | ||||||||||
| Ribs | … | … | … | … | … | 10½ | 9½ | 1 | ||
| Thin Flank | … | … | … | … | … | 5¾ | 5¼ | ½ | ||
| Mutton, British:— | ||||||||||
| Legs | … | … | … | … | … | 1 | 6 | 1 | 5¼ | ¾ |
| Breast | … | … | … | … | … | 10 | 9¼ | ¾ | ||
| Mutton, Frozen:— | ||||||||||
| Legs | … | … | … | … | … | 11½ | 10 | 1½ | ||
| Breast | … | … | … | … | … | 5¼ | 4½ | ¾ | ||
| Bacon, Streaky* | … | … | … | … | … | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| Sugar, Granulated | … | … | … | … | … | 2¾ | 2½ | ¼ | ||
| * If this kind is seldom sold in a locality the returns quote the prices of another kind locally representative. |