§ 70. Mr. G. Darlingasked the Minister of Labour if he will resume publication of the former Index of Retail Prices so that accurate comparisons can be made of price movements in previous years.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodI assume that the hon. Member is referring to the publication of an index figure linking the present series with the earlier Interim Index of Retail Prices in order to continue comparison with the level of prices in June, 1947. I am not prepared to alter the decision I announced on 2nd August last to the effect that an official index figure on this basis would not be published after the end of 1956, but anyone who wishes to link the two series of figures can readily do so by the simple process described in successive issues of the Ministry of Labour Gazette throughout 1956.