§ Mr. Craven-Ellisasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the price level for 1938 and 1944 taking 1913 at 100; and what was the real value of the £ for the same two years taking 1913 at 20s.
§ Sir J. AndersonI would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave on 12th December, 1944, to my hon. Friend the Member for Chislehurst (Sir W. Smithers). As I then stated, comparisons with 1913 are not available. On the basis of the Official Cost of Living Index for 1914 and 1938, and of the price changes between 1938 and 1944 which were used in compiling the latest issue of the National Income White Paper (Cmd. 6623), the price level, taking 1914 as 100, was 156 in 1938 and 239 in 1944. On that basis the domestic purchasing power of the £, taking 1914 as 20s., was 12s. l0d. in 1938 and 8s. 4d. in 1944.