§ 90. Miss Burtonasked the Minister of Labour what rise has taken place in the cost of living per person per week since 10th March, 1952, to the latest convenient date; and what groups of items are included in his reply.
§ Mr. WatkinsonThe Interim Index of Retail Prices rose from 133 in March, 1952, to 138 in February, 1953, a rise equal to about 4 per cent. This rise cannot be expressed as an amount per person per week. Details of the items which have risen in price since March, 1952. have been published in the monthly issues of the Ministry of Labour Gazette.
§ Mr. Hollisasked the Minister of Labour the cost of living today in comparison with its cost in 1939.
§ Mr. WatkinsonThere is no official index which measures the change in the cost of living between 1939 and the present time. The Interim Index of Retail Prices measures the change in the average level of retail prices for working-class households compared with June, 1947, and it is not possible to arrive at a satisfactory measure of the change in price levels since 1939 by linking this index to the earlier Cost of Living Index.