§ Mr. Lewisasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) the purchasing power of the £ sterling for each of the years from 1938, taking the year 1938 as 100; 244W in 1946, within the £1,000 per annum range.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterSalary scales which in 1946 included £1,000 within thier range have been increased by percentages which vary both as between different grades and as between different points on the scales of these grades. The following examples which are fairly typical may, however, be of interest to the hon. Member:
(2) the purchasing power of the £ sterling for each of the years from 1945, taking the year 1945 as 100.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerThe figures are as follow:
1938 … 100 1939 … 97 1940 … 83 1941 … 75 1942 … 70 1943 … 68 1944 … 67 1945 … 65 … 100 1946 … 63 … 97 1947 … 59 … 91 1948 … 55 … 85 1949 … 53 … 82 1950 … 52 … 80 1951 … 48 … 74 1952 … 44 … 68 Between 1938 and 1951, the price index for all consumers' goods and services, calculated annually for national income purposes, is used. The figure for 1952 is a provisional estimate, based on the movement of the Ministry of Labour's interim index of retail prices during that year.