§ Sir C. Osborneasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total national expenditure on alcohol and tobacco, respectively, for the years 1939, 1945, 1955 and 1965; and how much per week this represented approximately for the then population over 16 years of age.
§ Mr. MacDermotThe table below shows consumers' expenditure on alcoholic drink and tobacco in the years 1938, 1946, 1955 and 1965 in total, and expenditure per week per head of the population aged 15 and over. Comparable figures for 1939 and 1945 are not available, nor are figures for the population aged 16 and over in the earlier years.
These figures, of course, do not allow for the fall in the value of money.
1938 1946 1955 1965 Consumers' expenditure (£ million) Alcoholic drink 285 696 832 1,417 Tobacco 177 602 880 1,428 Expenditure per week per head of the population aged 15 and over (shillings and pence) Alcoholic drink 2/11 6/11 8/1 13/0 Tobacco 1/10 6/0 8/7 13/1