§ Mr. MACKINDERasked the President of the Board of Education how many proposals for new elementary and secondary schools, respectively, have been received by his Department in the current year; how many have been sanctioned; and how these figures compare with 1923–24?
§ Mr. TREVELYANThe figures are as follow:
what has been the wise in the price of bread since 1st August and 1st, September, respectively and whether he has made any investigations into the causes which have brought about such increase?
Mr. WEBBThe answer to both parts of the question is in the affirmative.
The information furnished to the Ministry of Labour shows an average price of bread, per 4 lbs.. in Great Britain of, approximately, 9¼d. at let August and 9½d. at let September. The average price at 1st October will, I am informed, he slightly above that of the previous month, but the particulars at present available are not sufficiently complete to enable the exact figure to be stated. The changes in the price of bread, per 4 lbs., in London, announced since the beginning of 1921 by the Associations of Master Bakers, are shown in the following statement, together with the price of London-made straight-run flour at the same dates as announced by the London Flour Millers' Association. The quoted price on the same dates of a leading variety of imported wheat is added for the purpose of comparison.
537W
Prices of Bread, Flour and Wheat in London. Dates of changes in price of bread in London. Price of bread per 4 lbs. in London. Price of Lo dou-made straight-run flour per 280 lbs. London Corn Exchange prices for No. 1 Northern Manitoba wheat per 496 lbs., ex ship. 1921. 12th September … … 1s. (reduced from 1s. 1d) 63s.* 95s. 6d. 7th November … … 10d. 56s.† 53s., 53s. 6d. 1922. 2nd January … … 9d. 46s. 55s. 6d. 27th February … … 10d. 52s. 70s. 26th June … … 9½d. 45s. 6d. 59s. 3d. 28th August. … … 9d. 42s. 52s. 1923. 29th October … … 8d. 37s. 6d.** 47s. 3d. 1924. 18th February … … 8½d. 39s. 6d. 52s. 7th July … … 9d. 41s. 6d. 55s. 11th August … … 9½d. 48s. 6d.† 62s. 6th October … … 10d. 51s.†† 71s. 6d. * Reduced on following day by 1s. ** Reduced on following day by 6d. † Reduced on following day by 2s. †† Increased on following day by 2s. The recent increases in the price of bread are consequent on higher prices for wheat, due to a reduction as compared with the previous crop, in the yields of wheat in the Northern Hemisphere. The supplies will, it is anticipated, be sufficient for the needs of importing countries, though the abundance, which led to the relatively low prices or last year, has disappeared.
§ Mr. STRANGERasked the President of the Board of Trade (1), if he is aware of the recent advance in the price of bread and other household necessaries, particularly in the case of those dutiable articles of household consumption on which the duty was reduced by the 1924 Budget whether he has information indicating that rings exist with a view to taking advantage of the reduction in duty to advance the price; and if he intends to take any action to deal with the situation thereby created;
(2), if he will state the average retail price of tea and sugar, respectively, on the day before the present Government came into office, on the day on which the Budget of 1924 was introduced, and on the 30th September, 1924; whether he has information that the advance in price is due to concerted action by those in a position to create an artificial rise in 538W price; and what action, if any, the Government proposes to take with a view to preventing profiteering in these essentials?
§ Major WHELERasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state what were the retail prices of tea on 30th September, and what were, the prices on the 31st of March last?
Mr. WEBBfurnished the following information in continuation of his answer [OFFICIAL REPORT, 2nd October, 1924; cols. 357–8, Vol. 177]: