§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why he permitted price rises for 4,134 grocery items last year; what was the largest increase allowed among these 4,134 items; and how many price increases he refused to sanction during 1965–66.
§ Mr. PeartThe 4,134 items to which the hon. Member refers are price increases, as recorded by the trade press, in all lines sold through grocery outlets. 2,628 refer to food and drink, and the remainder to such items at toiletries. Of the food and drink increases, 1,967 were for the period January to July, an average of 281 a month. In August and September the numbers were 133 and 161 respectively. These were almost all due to increases in imported items, the purchase tax increases announced on 20th July, or to increases which took effect before 20th July but were only recorded later. The figure fell to 87 in October and 28 in November. The December figure was 252, but of these some 200 related to only one product group—meat pies, sausages, etc.—where, as I explained to the hon. Member on 14th December, the Government was satisfied that prices would have to be increased because of higher raw material costs.
Notification of proposed price increases of most goods was not required before the beginning of the standstill period—20th July, 1966: between then and the end of 1966, I accepted 26 notifications of proposed price increases as being in accordance with the Government's prices and incomes policy (as set out in the White Papers, Cmnd. 3073 and 3150); I also accepted a further 38 notifications after they had been modified in discussion with my Department. I refused to accept 11 81W notifications, and a further 2 were withdrawn. Since notifications are confidential, I cannot give details about individual ones.