§ Earl CASTLE STEWARTasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will arrange for the periodical collection and publication of statistics which would indicate the wholesale and retail prices of a number of important commodities in the Dominions and in some of the larger foreign countries, and which would enable some comparison to be made between British and overseas prices?
§ Mr. W. R. SMITHThe Noble Lord is probably aware that the Monthly Bulletin of Statistics issued by the League of Nations contains tables showing, by means of index numbers, the wholesale and retail price movements in a considerable number of countries. The International1202W Labour Review of the International Labour Office contained in its issues for October and December last, particulars of average retail prices in towns situated in 17 different countries, and dealing separately with between 30 and 40 commodities, according to the information available in each case. The index numbers are prepared on different bases in different countries, but the data specified may be of assistance to the Noble Lord.