§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what extent between March, 1971 and March, 1972 the price of sugar has fallen or increased to the consumer; and what is the percentage charge in each instance.
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§ Mr. PriorThe average retail price of a 2lb packet of granulated sugar rose from 8p in March 1971 to 8.7p in December and to 10.6p in February. It then dropped by 17 per cent. to 8.8p in March, 1972 as a result of the special action which I took to contain the increase in sugar prices and which I announced in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Devizes (Mr. Charles Morrison) on 8th March. The detailed monthly figures were as follows:
Average retail price of a 2-lb. packet of granulated sugar p Percentage change from previous month 1971 March … … 8.0 — April … … 8.1 +1.3 May … … 8.2 +1.2 June … … 8.3 +1.2 July … … 8.4 +1.2 August … … 8.4 — September … … 8.5 +1.2 October … … 8.5 — November … … 8.6 +1.2 December … … 8.7 +1.2 1972 January … … 10.1 +16.1 February … … 10.6 +5.0 March … … 8.8 -17.0 —[Vol. 382, c. 359–60].