§ Mr. Lewisasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in HANSARD a table of the figures giving the rise and fall in the purchasing value of the £ sterling for each of the months from January, 1951, until December, 1951, compared with January, 1958, until the latest convenient stated monthly date, taking the £ as having a purchasing value of 20s. in January, 1951.
§ Mr. ErrollYes.
The internal purchasing power of the £, taking January, 1951, as 20s., is shown below:
— 1951 1958 s. d. s. d. January … 20 0 15 1 February … 19 10 15 2 March … 19 8 15 1 April … 19 4 14 11 May … 18 11 14 11 June … 18 10 14 10 July … 18 7 15 1 August … 18 6 15 1 September … 18 4 15 1 October … 18 3 14 11 November … 18 2 December … 18 0 The above figures are based on movements in the Retail Price indices during 1951 and 1958 and the change in the Consumer Price Index between 1951 and 1957.