§ Mr. Liddallasked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that the Central Electricity Board reports that the 1937 price of coal was 17.3 per cent. above that of 1932, and that the 1937 saving of £1,800,000 on its fuel, as compared with 1935, has been largely lost owing to the rise in the price of coal; will he, therefore, when publishing the cost-of-living indices add a rough estimate of the extent of the rise in the indices, compared with 1935, attributable to the higher price of coal on the costs 555W of such foods, goods, services and domestic firing used by wage-earners, as are included in the cost-of-living calculation?
§ Mr. E. BrownI am aware of the statements, in the latest Annual Report of the Central Electricity Board, to which I presume my hon. Friend refers. As regards the second part of the question, I regret that the information in my possession is insufficient to enable me to make a satisfactory estimate of the extent to which the prices of the various commodities and services included within the scope of the cost-of-living index number have been affected by increases in the cost of coal.