§ Sir A. KNOXasked the President of the Board of Trade the highest and the lowest retail price now, or at the latest possible date, charged in England for the 4-lb. loaf; and what is the average retail cost of the same quantity of bread of similar quality in France, Germany, and Italy?
§ Miss BONDFIELDI have been asked to reply. At 31st May the bread prices quoted on returns collected from over 500 towns in Great Britain and Northern Ireland for the purpose of the official cost of living index number varied from 7d. to 1s. per 4 lbs., the general average being 8¾d. Comparable averages are not available for continental countries, but in January last the average retail prices of white bread in certain of the principal towns in Great Britain, France, Germany and Italy, according to the latest figures published by the International Labour Office, were equivalent to 9¼d., 7¼d., 1s. 5¼d. and 9¼d. respectively per 4 lbs. The figures are defined as relating to prices of white bread, but 651W there is no further indication of the precise qualities to which they severally relate.