§ 18. Mr. DAYasked the President of the Board of Trade what has been the increase in the wholesale price of potatoes, wheat, flour, butter, and bacon since October, 1931?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. Runciman)As the answer is in the form of a tabular statement,
| The following statement shows the average wholesale price of the commodities specified in October, 1931, and February, 1936, and the percentage increase or decrease comparing the later with the earlier month. The figures in the last column do not necessarily indicate the general movement in prices of the commodities in question. | ||||||||
| Commodity. | Unit of Price. | October 1931. | February 1936. | Percentage increase or decrease. | ||||
| Potatoes: | ||||||||
| London market | … | … | … | sh. per ton. | 142.4 | 113.4* | −20.4 | |
| Birmingham market | … | … | … | " | 132.7 | 101.5* | −23.5 | |
| Wheat: | ||||||||
| Home grown "Gazette average" | … | sh. per cwt. | 6.0 | 6.3 | +5.0 | |||
| Imported No. 2 Northern Manitoba | sh. per 496 lbs. | 27.8 | 34.0 | +22.3 | ||||
| Flour: | ||||||||
| Straight-run, to bakers, London | … | sh. per 280 lbs. | 20.9 | 30.8† | +47.4 | |||
| Butter: | ||||||||
| British | … | … | … | … | sh. per cwt. | 142.3 | 117.8 | −17.2 |
| Danish | … | … | … | … | " | 137.8 | 122.5 | −11.1 |
| New Zealand | … | … | … | … | " | 127.8 | 98.5 | −22.9 |
| Bacon: | ||||||||
| Wiltshire, smoked | … | … | … | sh. per cwt. | 87.0 | 104.0 | +19.5 | |
| Danish, green | … | … | … | … | " | 65.5 | 100.0 | +52.7 |
| Irish, green | … | … | … | … | " | 77.0 | 100.0 | +29.9 |
| * As potato prices are particularly subject to seasonal variations, average prices for October, 1935, have been given in the table. The February, 1936, figures are 157.0 sh. (London) and 143.2 sh. (Birmingham). | ||||||||
| †Includes the levy of 3s. 6d. per sack under the Wheat (Quota Payments) No. 3 Order, 1035, up to 22nd February, and of 3s. 0d. per sack under the Wheat (Quota Payments) No. 1 Order, 1936 from 23rd February, 1936. |