§ Mr. LESLIE SCOTTalso asked the President of the Board of Trade what progress has been made with the inquiry into the cost of living; whether this inquiry is intended to result in the regular periodical production of an index number of working-class expenditure; and whether he has considered the desirability of producing such an index number at quarterly intervals for each of the great industrial districts of the United Kingdom?
Mr. BUXTONThis inquiry is making satisfactory progress, and I hope it may be found possible as one of its results to publish an index number of retail prices at more frequent intervals than at present. I do not think it would be feasible to collect particulars as to house rent at quarterly intervals, but I am considering whether a quarterly index number of retail 255W prices of articles of working-class consumption could be published without undue labour.