Mr. D. Campbellasked the Minister of Labour if any of the items, of which account is taken in calculating the cost-of-living index, are subject to Purchase or other tax; and if they are, is the cost of such tax included in the cost-of-living index.
§ Mr. E. BevinYes, Sir. A number of the items of which account is taken in2218W this index are subject to Purchase Tax or other taxes, and the index figures are based on the prices actually charged by retail shopkeepers, inclusive of any taxation that affects the retail prices. In the monthly issues of the "Ministry of Labour Gazette" particulars are regularly published as to the extent to which the rise in the index figures, since the beginning of the war, is represented by the Purchase Tax and by increases in the taxes on other commodities, respectively.