§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the retail prices, expressed in terms of sterling, of the following items, in each of the EEC countries, for the latest available date: rump steak, bread, tomatoes, oranges, milk, haddock, potatoes, apples, butter, eggs and sugar.
§ Mrs. FennerThe information is as follows. Because of differences in quality, the month of quotation and the form in which products are sold, the prices listed are not strictly comparable as between countries.
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RETAIL PRICES OF CERTAIN FOODSTUFFS IN THE EEC Pence per unit Month Rump steak or nearest equivalent Bread Tomatoes Oranges Milk Haddock Potatoes Apples Butter Eggs Sugar lb lb lb lb pint lb lb lb lb dozen lb West Germany … September … 198 13½ 10½ 13½ 9 .. 3½ 12½ 60½ 49 10 France … … August … 103½ 11½ 8 11½ 6½ .. 3½ 15½ 57 45 8 (Sirloin) (Average Baquette and Parisienne) (May) (July) (New) Italy … … … June … … .. 7½ .. .. 6 .. 7 .. 53½ 38 7½ Netherlands … … August … 144 9 8 10½ 7 22½ 4 9 53½ 41 8½ (Fillet) (Whole Fish) June Belgium … … September … 141 8½ 19½ 11 7 .. 3½ 12½ 57½ 46½ 10½ (Entrecote) (Old) (July) Denmark … … July … … .. 12 29½ 12 8 .. 8 23 54½ 46 8½ (New) Irish Republic … May … … 73½ 7 25 .. 5 .. 4 .. 28 31½ 5½ (Sirloin) United Kingdom … September … 93 6 14 9½ 5½ 46½ 2½ 11 21 38 5 (Home killed) 75½ (imported) (Fillets) (Old) (New Zealand) (Standard) Note: The prices have been calculated (to nearest ½ pence) from national currencies at the average rates of exchange for the months indicated for individual countries. Symbols: .. = Not available. Sources: National publications of countries concerned
§ Mr. Robert Hughesasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will detail in the OFFICIAL REPORT the percentage and money value changes in the average prices of the 80 important items of food, as collected for the purpose of the retail food price index, between July 1970 and the latest date for which food prices are available.
§ Mrs. FennerThe following table shows the percentage and money value changes in the average retail prices of about 80 important items of food, as collected for the purposes of the Index of Retail Food Prices, between 21st July 1970 and 18th September 1973, the latest date for which information is available.
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Change in Average Price Item Percentage Money Value† Beef: home-killed Chuck +70.1 +22.7 Sirloin (without bone) +69.9 +32.1 Silverside (without bone)* +61.3 +26.0 Back ribs (with bone)* +73.0 +21.1 Fore ribs (with bone)* +71.2 +20.3 Brisket (with bone) +93.5 +17.4 Rump steak* +58.9 +34.5 Beef: imported, chilled Chuck +84.2 +23.0 Silverside (without bone)* +74.1 +25.8 Rump steak* +66.5 +31.3 Lamb: home-killed Loin (with bone) +62.2 +22.7 Breast* +62.7 +6.9 Best end of neck +61.1 +17.1 Shoulder (with bone) +55.9 +14.6 Leg (with bone) +59.2 +20.9 Lamb: imported Loin (with bone) +87.2 +23.1 Breast* +109.1 +7.2 Best end of neck +87.6 +19.0 Shoulder (with bone) +89.5 +17.0 Leg (with bone) +84.4 +24.3 Pork: home killed Leg (foot off) +53.4 +15.0 Belly* +63.2 +11.5 Loin (with bone) +51.8 +17.5 Sausages Pork +41.8 +7.9 Beef +55.4 +8.7 Roasting chicken Broiler, frozen, 3 lb +55.5 +9.1 Fresh or chilled, 4 lb (oven ready) +38.5 +7.5 Fresh fish Cod fillets +111.4 +23.4 Haddock fillets +83.5 +21.2 Haddock, smoked, whole +84.1 +19.5 Plaice fillets +67.4 +21.7 Halibut cuts +60.4 +27.9 Herrings +78.1 +8.9 Kippers (with bone) +74.0 +11.4 Fresh vegetables Potatoes, old, loose: White‡ Red‡ Potatoes, new, loose†
Change in Average Price Item Percentage Money Value† Tomatoes +14.8 +1.8 Cabbage, greens +34.2 +1.3 Cabbage, hearted +28.9 +1.1 Cauliflower or broccoli +6.1 +0.5 Brussels sprouts‡ Peas‡ Runner beans -10.3 -1.2 Carrots -8.3 -0.4 Onions -12.3 -0.8 Mushrooms, per ¼ lb +22.2 +1.4 Fresh fruit Apples, cooking +9.3 +0.7 Apples, dessert +7.8 +0.8 Pears, dessert +23.5 +2.3 Oranges +38.6 +2.7 Bananas +32.6 +2.8 Bread White, 1¾ lb wrapped and sliced loaf +21.1 +1.9 White, 1¾ lb unwrapped loaf +22.5 +2.0 White, 14 oz loaf +36.5 +1.9 Brown, 14 oz loaf +31.7 +1.9 Flour Self-raising, per 3 lb +40.8 +4.0 Bacon Collar* +73.2 +17.5 Gammon* +68.4 +23.8 Middle cut, smoked* +80.8 +24.9 Back, smoked +85.6 +28.5 Back, unsmoked +85.9 +27.5 Streaky, smoked +89.5 +19.6 Ham (not shoulder) +40.6 +22.6 Pork luncheon meat 12 oz can +36.5 +5.0 Canned (red) salmon ½-size can +57.0 +15.8 Milk, ordinary, per pint +19.6 +0.9 Butter New Zealand +22.0 +3.8 Danish +17.3 +3.5 Margarine, per ½ lb Standard quality (without added butter) +29.6 +1.6 Lower priced +40.9 +1.8 Lard +33.3 +2.9 Cheese, cheddar type +74.6 +13.8 Eggs, per dozen Large +81.9 +18.1 Standard +103.2 +19.3 Medium +119.6 +18.9 Sugar, granulated, 2 lb +34.7 +2.6 Instant coffee, per 4 oz +28.5 +7.2 Tea, per ¼ lb Higher priced +6.9 +0.7 Medium priced +5.0 +0.4 Lower priced +3.9 +0.3 * Or Scottish equivalent. † In new pence per lb unless otherwise stated. ‡ Insufficient number or no quotations.
§ Mr. Barry Jonesasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the percentage increase in all food prices in the last 12 months; and if he will list those occasions since 1945 when this figure was exceeded.
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§ Mrs. FennerBetween 19th September 1972 and 18th September 1973—the latest date for which information is available—the food index rose by 15.1 per cent. Since 1945 this figure has been exceeded in the periods of 12 months commencing:
August, September and December 1950 January to July inclusive 1951 April and May 1972