§ Mr. LEESasked the Minister of Agriculture the percentage drop in agricultural price levels in the past two years, and the percentage drop in the rent of agricultural land during the same period?
§ Dr. ADDISONThe general index number of the prices of agricultural produce as calculated by the Ministry for the month of June, 1931, shows a fall of 12 per cent., as compared with the806W corresponding month in 1929. The Ministry is not in possession of information as to the changes which have taken place in rents of agricultural land generally during the past two years.
§ Mr. L. SMITHasked the Minister of Agriculture, for the years 192", 1929 and 1930, the average price per pound for English bullocks and heifers at Birmingham, Leeds, London and Manchester; the average price per hundredweight of British wheat, British feeding barley and white English oats at Bristol, Hull, Liverpool and London; the average price per hundredweight of first quality English Cheddar (dairy and factory) cheese, and of first quality English Cheshire (graded and ungraded) cheese; and the average price per pound of first quality and second quality, respectively, of dairy fresh butter at the following markets: Ashford, Bridgwater, Chelmsford, Don-caster, Dorchester, Exeter, Hereford, Ipswich, Norwich, Oswestry, Salisbury, Skipton, Swindon, Truro, Lincoln, Derby, York, Shrewsbury and Carlisle?
§ Dr. ADDISONThe following tables give the annual average prices for the years 1928, 1929, and 1930 in respect of English bullocks and heifers, British wheat, feeding barley, English white oats, English Cheddar and Cheshire cheese, and dairy butter at certain specified markets:
807W
— 1928. 1929. 1930. English bullocks and heifers (per lb.). s. d. s. d. s. d. Birmingham … … … 0 8⅝ 0 8½ 0 8⅝ Leeds … … … 0 8⅝ 0 8¼ 0 8½ London … … … 0 8⅜ 0 8⅛ 0 8¼ Manchester … … … 0 8½ 0 8⅛ 0 8⅝ British wheat (per cwt.). Bristol … … … 10 4 10 0 8 5 Hull … … … 10 5 10 2 8 2 Liverpool … … … 10 9 10 5 * London … … … 10 11 10 8 8 7 British feeding barley (per cwt.). Bristol … … … 9 10 8 11 * Hull … … … 9 9 9 1 6 7 Liverpool … … … * * * London … … … 10 6 9 7 6 11 English white oats (per cwt.). Bristol … … … 11 2 9 7 6 11 Hull … … … 10 10 8 10 6 2 Liverpool … … … 10 8 9 1 6 5 London … … … 11 8 9 10 6 10 English Cheddar cheese (per cwt.). Dairy, 1st quality … … … 133 6 123 0 105 6 Factory, 1st quality … … … 114 6 102 6 79 0 English Cheshire cheese (per cwt.). Graded, 1st quality … … … * 115 0 97 6 Ungraded, 1st quality … … … 126 6 109 6 95 6 * The number of quotations have not been sufficient to admit of averages being given.
Dairy Butter (per lb.). Market. 1928. 1929. 1930. 1st Quality. 2nd Quality. 1st Quality. 2nd Quality. 1st Quality. 2nd Quality. s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. Ashford … 1 11½ 1 7 1 10½ 1 7¼ 1 7½ 1 4¼ Bridgwater … 2 2½ 1 11¾ 2 1½ 1 10¼ 1 10¼ 1 6½ Doncaster … 2 0 1 10 1 11¼ 1 9½ 1 7¾ 1 5¾ Dorchester … 2 1 1 10¼ 2 1¾ 1 11½ 1 9½ 1 7¼ Exeter … 1 9¾ 1 8½ 1 11¼ 1 9¼ 1 7¾ 1 5¼ Hereford … 1 8½ 1 7¼ 1 8¼ 1 7 1 5¼ 1 3½ Ipswich … 2 1¾ 1 9¾ 2 1 1 9¾ 1 8 1 3½ Norwich … 1 11¾ 1 7¾ 1 11¾ 1 8½ 1 8¾ 1 5¾ Oswestry … 1 10 1 8 1 9½ 1 7½ 1 6¼ 1 4½ Salisbury … 1 9¼ 1 5 1 9¾ 1 6 1 6¼ 1 3 Skipton … 1 11½ † 1 11¼ 1 9¾ 1 8¾ 1 7¾ Swindon … 1 11 1 8 1 10¼ 1 8¼ 1 7 1 6 Truro … 1 8¾ 1 7¾ 1 8 1 7 1 4¾ 1 3¾ Lincoln‡ … 1 11 † 1 11½ † 1 8¼ † York‡ … 2 0 1 10½ 1 10¾ * 1 8¾ 1 7¼ Shrewsbury‡ … 2 1¼ 1 11½ 2 1¼ 1 11¾ 1 10¼ 1 8¾ Carlisle‡ … 1 11¾ † 1 11½ † 1 8¾ † * The number of quotations have not been sufficient to admit of averages being given. † No quotations for 2nd quality were available. ‡ At these markets the prices quoted are for sales by producers direct to consumers. At other markets prices are those paid to producers by retailers. Note.—Prices of butter have not been collected by the Ministry in respect of Chelmsford and Derby.