§ Mr. F. ROBERTSasked the Minister of Labour if he will consider the possibility of publishing the index number of wages, similar to that which was regularly published before the War; and whether any step is being taken to resume the publications of the Department which were suspended owing to the War?
§ Sir M. BARLOWThe official index number of wages published before the War was not sufficiently representative to indicate with accuracy the average movement of rates of wages in periods of such marked and varied changes as have occurred in recent years. The material required for the preparation of a more suitable index number is now being accumulated with a view to the preparation and publication of a new series of figures. As regards the volumes of labour statistics also, the issue of which was suspended owing to the War, the collection of the nececssary material has been continued, but in view of the need for economy, it has not yet been decided to resume publication.