§ 13. Mr. Liddallasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that there are now published for the guidance of the public three principal series of index numbers of wholesale prices, one by the Board of Trade, one by the "Economist," and one by the "Times," based variously upon average prices, either during the whole month or at or near the end of the month; and whether he will suggest that these three calculations of the index should all work in collaboration with the Board of Trade and be based upon the average prices during the whole of the month, so as to terminate the confusion caused by the three leading index-scales being based upon different factors?
Mr. StanleyIn addition to the series of index numbers of wholesale prices mentioned, there are also those published in the "Statist" and the "Financial Times." The difference in the date of the quotations taken is not the most important of the variations in the scope and basis of the calculations, but in any case I see no disadvantage in there being available a number of index numbers based on different data.