HC Deb 17 December 1953 vol 522 cc550-2
2. Miss Burton

asked the Minister of Labour if he will conduct an inquiry into the cost of living of old age pensioners at the present time.

Mr. Watkinson

The comprehensive household expenditure inquiry which began in January covers a large and representative sample of all types of households in the country, including those with old age pensioners.

Miss Burton

Is the Minister aware that this is really a very serious position? Is he aware that, in Coventry on Saturday last, I had an old age pensioner to see me who is now receiving National Assistance, who has no savings, and who told me himself that he had to pay an increase of 2s. 6d. in price for the same amount of coal between October and November, had to pay another 8s. 9d. to have his shoes repaired, and that he just had not got the money?

Mr. Watkinson

That is exactly what we are doing, and that is why we are carrying out a full-scale inquiry in more than 20,000 households, in a reasonably large number of which there are old age pensioners. These are exactly the kind of facts that we are now collecting.

Sir G. Lloyd

Is it not the duty of the National Assistance Board to take all these factors into account, including those involved in the hon. Lady's supplementary question?

3. Mr. Gower

asked the Minister of Labour if he will set out the changes in the retail price index for each half-year since the beginning of 1947, stating all figures in terms based upon a 1947 figure of 100.

Mr. Watkinson

As the reply includes a table of figures, I will, with permission, circulate it in the Official Report. My hon. Friend might like to know, however, that the average figure for 1953 shows no change.

Mr. Gower

Does not the fact that there was no change make nonsense of extravagant Opposition propaganda, calculated, as it is, to stimulate unreasonable demands for wage increases and pensions?

Following is the reply:

The Interim Index of Retail Prices was introduced in June, 1947, and figures in this series cannot be given for the first half of 1947. Taking the level of prices in June, 1947, as represented by 100, the following are the averages of the index figures for each half-year since that date, together with the changes compared with the previous half-year:

Half-year Average index figure Change since previous half-year
1947–2nd half 102 —
1948–1st half 107 +5
2nd half 108 +1
1949–1st half 110 +2
2nd half 112 +2
1950–1st half 114 +2
2nd half 115 +1
1951–1st half 121 +6
2nd half 128 +7
1952–1st half 134 +6
2nd half 137 +3
1953–1st half 140 +3
July-Oct. 140 Nil