Cost of Living (Hansard, 4 May 1976)

§ Mr. Arthur Lewis
asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will publish in the Official Report the details 334W France, Belgium and Italy, on a convenient base an index number for wages rates for each year since 1950.

§ Mr. Golding
The following table gives index numbers relating to hourly wage rates in the manufacturing industries for each year from 1955, the earliest year for which figures are available. It is regretted that data for 1955 to 1957 for Germany and Belgium and for 1975 for France, Holland and Belgium are not available from international sources.
and table he submitted to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West on 26th April showing that the 25.4 per cent. increase in food prices last year increased the Retail Price Index by 5.9 per cent.

§ Mr. Harold Walker
Following is the table which gives the contribution of price increases, in each of the main expenditure groups, to the overall increase of 23.4 per cent. in the detail prices index in 1975. In particular it shows that the effect of the whole food sector showing a 25.4 per cent. increase last year was to increase the Retail Price Index by 5.9 per cent.
The table has been taken from a detailed analysis of the changes in retail prices during 1975 given in the March issue of the Department of Employment Gazette— page 246. The Gazette also gives—pages 245—the weights to be used 335W in compiling the index in 1976 from which can be seen the importance of the

Expenditure group Change in group index between January 1975 and January 1976 Per cent Effect on "all-items" index of change in group index between January 1975 and January 1976 Per cent

Food … … … … +25.4 +5.9

Alcholic drink … … … … +26.1 +2.1

Tobacco … … … … +31.1 +1.4

Housing … … … … +22.2 +2.4

Fuel and Light … … … … +35.1 +1.9

Durable Household Goods … … … … +19.0 +1.3

Clothing and Footwear … … … … +10.9 +1.0

Transport and Vehicles … … … … +20.5 +3.1

Miscellaneous Goods … … … … +21.6 +1.5

Services … … … … +33.0 +1.7

Meals bought and consumed outside the home … … … … +23.2 +1.1

All items … … … … +23.4 +23.4

Expenditure group	Change in group index between January 1975 and January 1976 Per cent	Effect on "all-items" index of change in group index between January 1975 and January 1976 Per cent
Food	…	…	…	…	+25.4	+5.9
Alcholic drink	…	…	…	…	+26.1	+2.1
Tobacco	…	…	…	…	+31.1	+1.4
Housing	…	…	…	…	+22.2	+2.4
Fuel and Light	…	…	…	…	+35.1	+1.9
Durable Household Goods	…	…	…	…	+19.0	+1.3
Clothing and Footwear	…	…	…	…	+10.9	+1.0
Transport and Vehicles	…	…	…	…	+20.5	+3.1
Miscellaneous Goods	…	…	…	…	+21.6	+1.5
Services	…	…	…	…	+33.0	+1.7
Meals bought and consumed outside the home	…	…	…	…	+23.2	+1.1
All items	…	…	…	…	+23.4	+23.4