HC Deb 19 January 1977 vol 924 cc210-3W
Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will give for a date in October 1974 the actual or average price of meat, eggs, butter, cheese, milk, bread, cooking fats, stated fruits and vegetables, and similar details for a given date in December 1976.

Mr. Golding

Average retail prices derived from prices collected for the compilation of the retail prices index are given in the following table. The figures relate to 15th October 1974 and 12th October 1976, the latest date for which average prices have been published. As these averages reflect variations in quality as well as price and are subject to sampling errors, the price ranges within

AVERAGE PRICES (PER lb. UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED) OF CERTAIN FOODS
Item Average price 15th October 1974 Pence Price range within which 80 per cent. of quotations fell Pence Average price 12th October 1976 Pence Price range within which 80 per cent. of quotations fell Pence
Beef—
Home-killed—
Chuck 51.6 44–58 84.6 74–92
Sirloin (without bone) 79.2 65–92 133.4 100–160
Silverside (without bone)* 68.8 60–75 113.8 100–126
Back ribs (with bone)* 48.3 40–58 78.9 64–94
Fore ribs (with bone) 47.0 40–56 77.1 64–90
Brisket (without bone) 47.1 38–56 76.8 64–90
Rump steak* 93.5 80–105 154.2 130–180
Lamb—
Home-killed—
Loin (with bone) 59.6 50–70 95.1 80–110
Breast* 17.4 10–25 29.7 20–40
Best end of neck 44.7 28–58 71.3 44–94
Shoulder (with bone) 38.3 30–50 64.0 50–75
Leg (with bone) 56.2 50–65 88.7 78–100
Lamb—
Imported—
Loin (with bone) 50.0 44–56 77.4 68–88
Breast* 13.8 10–19 22.6 15–30
Best end of neck 40.5 28–50 62.5 40–76
Shoulder (with bone) 33.4 28–38 53.1 46–60
Leg (with bone) 52.5 48–56 79.9 72–86
Pork—
Home-killed—
Leg (foot off) 49.1 40–60 69.6 58–84
Belly* 34.5 30–40 51.4 44–58
Loin (with bone) 61.9 54–70 83.2 74–96
Pork sausages 30.3 26–34 42.7 36–48
Beef sausages 26.7 22–31 38.2 32–44
Roasting chicken (broiler) frozen (3 lb.) 26.4 24–29 38.0 35–42
Roasting chicken, fresh or chilled (4 lb.) oven ready 30.4 26–36 42.9 38–48
Eggs—
Large, per dozen 41.6 39–46 50.7 46–56
Standard, per dozen 37.7 35–40 46.2 43–50
Medium, per dozen 31.8 30–36 40.8 38–44
Butter—
Home-produced 24.6 22–28 49.5 44–54
New Zealand 23.0 21–25 46.0 43–50
Danish 26.7 24–29 51.1 46–54
Cheese, Cheddar type 39.3 36–44 51.9 46–58
Milk, ordinary, per pint 4.5 9.5
Bread—
White, per 1¾ lb. wrapped and sliced loaf 13.9 12–15 19.2 17–21
White, per 1¾ lb. unwrapped loaf 14.3 12½–15½ 20.4 19–23
White, per 14 oz. loaf 9.5 8½–10½ 13.8 12½–15½
Brown, per 14 oz. loaf 10.4 10–11 14.8 14–16
Lard 18.8 17–22 20.5 17–24
Fresh fruit—
Apples, cooking 9.3 7–12 13.2 10–16
Apples, dessert 13.2 10–16 15.0 10–20
Pears, dessert 12.3 10–16 14.3 10–20
Oranges 12.0 9–15 15.6 12–20
Bananas 13.0 12–15 16.7 14–20

which 80 per cent. of the quotations fell are also given.

Item Average price 15th October 1974 Pence Price range within which 80 per cent. of quotations fell Pence Average price 12th October 1976 Pence Price range within which 80 per cent. of quotations fell Pence
Fresh vegetables—
Potatoes, old loose—
White 3.1 2½–4 11.5 10–13
Red 3.6 3–4 12.0 11–13
Tomatoes 21.3 16–26 17.4 14–22
Cabbage, greens 6.3 4–10 10.0 6–14
Cabbage, hearted 5.7 3–10 9.6 6–14
Cauliflower or broccoli 12.3 7–18 15.7 8–22
Brussels sprouts 10.2 8–12 13.4 10–18
Carrots 6.5 5–9 10.4 8–14
Onions 7.0 5–9 14.0 12–18
Mushrooms, per ¼ lb. 9.7 8–12 13.5 10–16
* Or Scottish equivalent.