HC Deb 22 July 1937 vol 326 cc2391-2
22. Mr. E. Dunn

asked the Minister of Labour when he proposes to set up his family household budgetary inquiry; what will be its terms of reference and the personnel of the inquiry; and over what area is it proposed to operate?

Mr. E. Brown

It is proposed that about 30,000 working-class households, distributed over all parts of Great Britain, shall be visited and invited to supply budgets, on forms to be provided, giving details of their expenditure in each of four separate weeks, in October, 1937, and in January, April, and July, 1938, respectively. It is hoped that at least 10,000 of these households will supply information in respect of October, 1937, and that the great majority of these will also furnish information for the three later weeks. The inquiry will be organised through the Employment Exchanges, and it is hoped to obtain the assistance of local committees and of a sufficient number of voluntary helpers, in each district, to undertake the work of visiting the households and collecting the budgets. The inquiry is primarily intended to furnish the data required for a revision of the basis of the official cost-of-living index figures, but it will also provide information required by the Health Departments in connection with questions relating to diet and nutrition. In view of the national importance of the inquiry, and of the great social value of the information to be obtained, I trust that the Department may rely on the co-operation of those who are asked to supply information or to assist in collecting the budgets.

Mr. Leach

Will the right hon. Gentleman undertake, when the new method of calculation is settled, to make corrections for previous years and publish them?

Mr. Brown

Preparations are now being made for this exhaustive inquiry, and I am hoping to set the whole thing up in detail in the September number of the Ministry of Labour Gazette.

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