HC Deb 13 November 1973 vol 864 cc126-31W
Mr. Ralph Howell

asked 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. Fenner

The 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.

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 .. 12½ 60½ 49 10
France August 103½ 11½ 8 11½ .. 15½ 57 45 8
(Sirloin) (Average Baquette and Parisienne) (May) (July) (New)
Italy June .. .. .. 6 .. 7 .. 53½ 38
Netherlands August 144 9 8 10½ 7 22½ 4 9 53½ 41
(Fillet) (Whole Fish) June
Belgium September 141 19½ 11 7 .. 12½ 57½ 46½ 10½
(Entrecote) (Old) (July)
Denmark July .. 12 29½ 12 8 .. 8 23 54½ 46
(New)
Irish Republic May 73½ 7 25 .. 5 .. 4 .. 28 31½
(Sirloin)
United Kingdom September 93 6 14 46½ 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 Hughes

asked 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. Fenner

The 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.

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 Jones

asked 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.

Mrs. Fenner

Between 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