§ 13. Mr. Lewisasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in HANSARD two tables of figures giving the percentage rise and fall in rents, wages, dividends and profits for each of the years from 1945 until October 1951, using as the basis July 1945 being equal to 100, and from October 1951 40W until the latest convenient stated date, using October 1951 as being equal to 100 for the second table of figures.
§ Mr. ErrollI regret that information is not available on a comparable basis for 1945, nor is it possible to base figures on a particular month in the year. However, I am circulating in the OFFICIAL REPORT tables giving the figures requested, based on the years 1946 and 1951, respectively.
—— Consumers' expenditure on rent (1) Wages Ordinary dividends (2) Gross trading profits of companies (2) (3) Indices 1946 = 100 1946 100 100 100 100 1947 102 114 110 118 1948 106 127 115 130 1949 109 134 119 135 1950 112 140 123 156 1951 115 155 137 186 Indices 1951 = 100 1951 100 100 100 100 1952 104 107 99 88 1953 109 113 108 93 1954 113 121 120 103 1955 120 132 137 114 1956 127 143 143 116 1957 136 151 151 121 1958 165 156(4) 157 116 (1) Excluding rates and water charges. (2) These indices relate to all companies except those nationalised during some part of the period 1946 to 1958. (3) Before providing for depreciation and stock appreciation. (4) Provisional. NOTE: The items have been defined in the same way as in the National Income Blue Books. The indices are based on the latest available national income estimates (including some now in preparation for the 1959 Blue Book to be published later this year). The figures for rent thus reflect the changes in the total stock of houses as well as in the level of rents; similarly those for wages reflect changes in the size and composition of the labour force and in actual earnings rather than changes in weekly wage rates.