§ Lieut.Commander TUFNELLasked the Minister of Labour what method is adopted in procuring the average retail price of bacon for use in the cost-of-living figure evolved by his Department; whether the price obtained is that for large quantities sold retail or for small sliced quantities of 1 lb. or less; and whether he is aware that there is great difficulty in procuring at the average shop bacon at the average retail prices given as official?
Mr. STANLEYThe average retail price of bacon, as ascertained for the purpose of the official cost-of-living index figure, is based on the prices charged by about 1,000 retailers, distributed throughout Great Britain and Northern Ireland, supplying working-class customers. The prices quoted are for streaky bacon, sliced, per lb., except in localities where streaky bacon is seldom sold, in which cases the prices quoted relate to other cuts locally representative. As regards the last part of the question, prices vary considerably in different localities, and with different retailers, but I have no reason to think that the figure, namely, 1s. 2¼d. per lb., published for 1st November is unrepresentative as a general average.