§ 78. Mr. BUCHANANasked the Minister of Labour if he can give an estimate showing what would be the effect upon the Ministry of Labour's cost-of-living index figure if the goods upon which the figure is built up were in every possible case British goods?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONI regret that the data necessary for such an estimate are not available.
§ Mr. MAXTONIs it the case that this index figure is based on a calculation of prices of sweated goods from all parts of the world without regard to Empire and home-grown products?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONNo, Sir. The hon. Gentleman must not assume that for a moment. With regard to the question put to me by the hon. Member for Gorbals (Mr. Buchanan) I went carefully into the matter, and found that to give him an answer would involve thousands of inquiries in hundreds of different localities and, in the circumstances, I did not feel justified in undertaking those inquiries.
§ Mr. BUCHANANSeeing that this question is arousing a fair amount of public interest, could the right hon. Gentleman take two or three suitable articles, and give an answer with regard to them?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONIf the hon. Gentleman will put that question on the Paper, I will see what I can do.