§ Mr. Grenfellasked the Minister of Labour whether he will state the number of cases in which the Unemployment Assistance Board allowances have been reduced in the last three months, with figures for the Swansea district, for the Wales Division, and for the United Kingdom, respectively?
§ Mr. ButlerFollowing is the reply:
tively, to-day compared with those prevailing at the same time of year in 1929?
§ Mr. E. BrownThe following table gives particulars of the average retail prices at 1st November, 1929, and 1st November, 1937, of those articles of food of which account is taken in the compilation of the official cost-of-living index number. The particulars relate to the prices of those descriptions, of each commodity, which are usually bought by working-class families, irrespective of the origin of the article concerned, except in the case of beef and mutton, for which separate prices are obtained for home-killed and imported meat, respectively. For other commodities of which the supplies are in part imported, information 2087W is not collected distinguishing the retail prices of home produce from those of imported produce.
Article. Average Retail Price (per lb. unless other-wise indicated—to the nearest ¼d.). 1st November, 1929. 1st November, 1937. Beef, British: s. d. s. d. Ribs 1 4¾ 1 2½ Thin flank 9¼ 7¾ Beef, chilled or frozen: Ribs 10¾ 9¾ Thin flank 5¾ 5 Mutton, British: Legs 1 6 1 4¼ Breast 10 8¼ Mutton, Frozen: Legs 11 ½ 10½ Breast 5¼ 4¼ Bacon (streaky)* 1 5½ 1 3½ Flour, per 7 lb. 1 4¼ 1 4¼ Bread, per 4 lb. 9 9½ Tea 2 0¼ 2 2½ Sugar (granulated) 2¾ 2½ Milk, per quart 6½ 7 Butter: Fresh 2 0¼ 1 6½ Salt 1 11 1 5¾ Cheese† 1 1¾ 11 Margarine 7½ 6¾ Eggs (fresh), each 3¼ 2½ Potatoes, per 7 lb. 5¾ 6¼ Fish ‡ ‡ * If this kind is seldom dealt with in a locality, the returns quote the prices of another kind locally representative. † The description of cheese for which prices are quoted is in most cases Canadian or New Zealand, but in some districts the returns quote the prices of another kind locally representative. ‡ The available information indicates that the prices of fish, of the kinds most generally bought by working-class families, were about 8 per cent. lower, on average, at 1st November, 1937, than at 1st November, 1929.