§ 11. Mr. Parkerasked the Minister of Labour whether he can name any date for the publication of the results of the inquiry into working-class budgets now being completed?
§ Mr. E. BrownThe last of the four collections of weekly budgets which are being obtained at quarterly intervals is being taken during the present month. In the case of expenditure on clothing it has been necessary to arrange for the collection of particulars of such expenditure, week by week, from a large number of households for a period of 12 months, ending in October next. Satistics summarising the information obtained will be published as soon as possible after the completion of the inquiry, but I am not at present in a position to state by what date publication may be expected. The House will realise that the work involves the examination and tabulation of some 50,000 budgets, and 150,000 weekly returns of expenditure on clothing.