§ Mr. G. Straussasked the Minister of Labour whether the price of vegetables, other than potatoes, is included in the cost-of-living indices?
§ Mr. BevinVegetables other than potatoes are not included among the items of which account is taken in the compilation of the official cost-of-living index. In view of the seasonal fluctuations in the supplies, and the variations in quality, of most of the principal vegetables, it would be difficult to obtain comparable price quotations month by month throughout the year, such as are necessary for the purpose of a continuous series of index numbers compiled and published at monthly intervals.