HC Deb 09 February 1939 vol 343 cc1106-7
17. Miss Wilkinson

asked the Minister of Labour when he estimates that the result of the recent inquiry into the cost of living will be available; and when it is proposed that they shall be the basis of the official index statistics?

Mr. E. Brown

The tabulation of the data contained in the budgets which have been collected by means of this inquiry is proceeding as rapidly as possible, but I regret that I am not yet in a position to state by what date statistics summarising the information obtained will be ready for publication. The revision of the basis of the cost of living index cannot be undertaken until a summary of the results of the inquiry is available. As I have previously stated, over 50,000 budgets giving particulars of full weekly expenditure, and over 150,000 returns of weekly expenditure on clothing, have been collected. The examination and tabulation of this material is a task of great magnitude, but every effort is being made to expedite the progress of the work with a view to the publication of the results of the inquiry at the earliest possible date.

Mr. Thorne

Does not the Minister think that it is desirable that he should make inquiries into the budgets of the people who are out of work?

Mr. Brown

That was not the view of the very powerful Advisory Committee which advised me on this matter.