HC Deb 26 November 1973 vol 865 cc16-8W
Mr. Freeson

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will give details of retail price percentage increases since 18th June 1970, for the following items, to the nearest available date : soap and detergents, toilet requisites, hardware, ironmongery, medicines and surgical etc. goods, beer, sherry, infants' clothes, children's clothes, men's clothes, women's clothes, books, stationery, postage, telephones, telegrams, etc., rents, mortgage charges on first purchase houses, business rents, rates and water charges.

Mr. Dudley Smith

From the available information the percentage increases in retail prices between 16th June 1970 and 16th October 1973 are as follows :

Item Percentage Increases
Soap and detergents. 26
Toilet requisites 11
Hardware, ironmongery 26
Medicines and surgical, etc. goods 28
Beer 18
Sherry. 12
Children's clothing 26
Men's outer clothing 38
Men's underclothing 36
Women's outer clothing 33
Women's underclothing 26
Books, newspapers and periodicals 33
Stationery, travel and sports goods, toys, photographic and optical goods, etc 21
Postage, etc. 74
Telephones, telegrams, etc. 36
Rents 35
Mortgage charges on first purchases houses Not available
Business rents Not available
Rates and water charges 41

Mr. Freeson

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will give details of retail price percentage increases since 18th June 1970 for the following items, to the nearest available date : potatoes, raw loose tomatoes, cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, onions, cooking apples, dessert apples, pears, oranges, bananas, currants, sultanas, canned pears, canned peaches, canned pineapple, canned fruit salad, sweets and chocolates, and food for animals.

Mr. Dudley Smith

The percentage changes in retail prices between 16th June 1970 and 16th October 1973 are as follows :

Potatoes, raw loose −8
Tomatoes +27
Cabbage +60
Cauliflower +82
Carrots −10
Onions, −9
Apples, Cooking +31
Apples, dessert +21
Pears +30
Oranges +78
Bananas +44
Currants +100
Sultanas +108
Canned Pears +35
Canned Peaches +42
Canned Pineapple +40
Canned Fruit Salad +40
Sweets and Chocolates Food for Animals +24

Mr. Freeson

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will give details of retail price percentage increases since 18th June 1970 for the following items, to the nearest available date : beef, lamb, pork, bacon, ham, eggs, bread, pork sausages, beef sausages, pork luncheon meat (tinned), roasting chicken (frozen, 3lb), canned red salmon, butter, margarine, lard, cheese (cheddar type), milk, tea, coffee, coffee extract powder, sugar, jam and marmalade.

Mr. Dudley Smith

The percentage increases in retail prices between 16th June 1970 and 16th October 1973 are as follows :

Item Percentage Increase
Beef 80
Lamb 83
Pork 71
Bacon 89
Ham 49
Eggs 119
Bread 30
Pork sausages 48
Beef sausages 62
Pork luncheon meat (tinned) 52
Roasting chicken, frozen (3 lb). 78
Canned red salmon 76
Butter 27
Margarine 33
Lard 53
Cheese, cheddar type 79
Milk 20
Tea 9
Coffe, extract, powder 33
Sugar 39
Jam, marmalade 31

Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table of figures giving the percentage increase in price, since January 1962, of the major items in the retail price index, such as food, alcoholic drink, tobacco, housing, including rent, rates and water charges, charges for repair and maintenance, fuel and light, durable household goods, clothing and footwear, transport and vehicles, miscellaneous goods, services, meals bought and consumed outside of the home, at June 1970 and September or October 1973, respectively.

Mr. Dudley Smith

The following table shows the percentage increases in the main components of the General Index of Retail Prices :

Percentage increase between
Group 16th January 1962 and 16th June 1970 16th January 1962 and 16th October 1973
Food 41.6 105.1
Alcoholic drink 43.2 64.8
Tobacco 35.8 41.2
Housing 58.6 119.4
Fuel and light 42.1 81.3
Durable household goods 25.1 53.7
Clothing and footwear 23.1 61.3
Transport and vehicles 31.0 69.7
Miscellaneous goods 41.7 75.6
Services 51.6 109.9
Meals bought and consumed outside the home 45.0 120.7