§ 69. Sir W. Smithersasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the purchasing power of the pound sterling reckoned over the whole field of personal expenditure taking the year 1900 as 100 for 1910, 1920, 1930, 1945 and the latest available date; and the figure at the latest available date taking 1945 as 100.
§ Mr. GaitskellReckoned over the whole field of personal expenditure by the public, the purchasing power of the pound sterling in the years in question was approximately as follows: 1900, 100; 1910, 95; 1920, 37; 1930, 58; 1945, 38; February, 1950, 31. Taking the year 1945 as 100, the figure for February, 1950, was 81.