§ 88 and 89. Mr. McKayasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) the percentage increase in consumers' expenditure from 1948 to 1956; what was the increase in consumers' expenditure, per head of the population, for the same period; and what was the percentage increase in the gross domestic product for the period from 1948 to 1956, all in terms of 1948 prices;
(2) what percentage of the gross domestic product was domestic consumption in 1948; and what was the percentage in 1953, 1954, 1955, and 1956, all at 1948 prices.
§ Mr. P. ThorneycroftBetween 1948 and 1956 consumers' expenditure increased by 16 per cent.; per head of population it increased by 14 per cent.; and over the same period the gross domestic product increased by 28 per cent., all in terms of 1948 prices. Consumers' expenditure—which I assume the hon. Member meant when referring to "domestic consumption"—at constant 1948 factor cost was 70 per cent. of the gross domestic product in 1948; in 1953, 1954, 1955 it was 66 per cent.; in 1956 it was 65 per cent.