§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give the total number of individual food products which increased in price in each of the past 28 months; and how many such food items were reduced in price during the same period.
§ Mr. GodberThe following table, which is based on information relative to about 80 important items of food as collected for the purposes of the index of retail food prices, shows the number of individual food items the average price of which increased or fell in each of the 28 months to September, 1972, the latest date for which information is available.
No. of Increases No. of Reductions June, 1970 52 15 July, 1970 51 16 August, 1970 37 28 September, 1970 33 24 October, 1970 30 28 November, 1970 33 28 December, 1970 38 19 January, 1971 54 16 February, 1971 46 21 March, 1971 51 13 April, 1971 57 8 May, 1971 57 8 June, 1971 53 14 July, 1971 26 33 August,1971 28 27 September, 1971 34 31 October, 1971 31 30 November, 1971 51 15 December, 1971 51 13 January, 1972 47 15 February, 1972 40 23 March, 1972 40 22 April, 1972 44 16 May, 1972 46 18 June, 1972 52 11 July, 1972 22 39 August, 1972 51 19 September, 1972 40 19
§ Mr. Loveridgeasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will detail the average retail prices of the 80 important items of food as collected for the purposes of the index of retail food prices at 6th November, 1972, or the nearest convenient date.
§ Mr. GodberThe following table shows the average retail prices of about 80 important items of food as collected for the purposes of the index of retail food prices on 19th September, 1972, the latest date for which information is available:224W
225W
Item Average price (in p. per lb. unless otherwise stated) Beef: home-killed Chuck 43.1 Sirloin (without bone) 62.9 Silverside (without bone)* 55.8 Back ribs (with bone)* 39.5 Fore ribs (with bone) 38.6 Brisket (with bone) 26.8 Rump steak* 79.2 Beef: Imported, chilled Chuck 37.8 Silverside (without bone)* 45.7 Rump steak* 60.2 Lamb: Home-killed Loin (with bone) 46.9 Breast* 13.5 Best end of neck 35.0 Shoulder (with bone) 31.6 Leg (with bone) 44.1 Lamb: Imported Loin (with bone) 37.8 Breast* 9.2 Best end of neck 30.6 Shoulder (with bone) 26.3 Leg (with bone) 39.6 Pork: Home-killed Leg (foot off) 33.7 Belly* 21.7 Loin (with bone) — Sausages Pork 22.1 Beef 19.5 Roasting chicken Broiler, frozen, 3 lb 18.4 Fresh or chilled, 4 lb. (oven ready) 21.5 Fresh fish Cod fillets 32.3 Haddock fillets 34.9 Haddock, smoked, whole 32.1 Plaice fillets 41.7 Halibut cuts 61.0 Herrings 16.3 Kippers (with bone) 21.6 Fresh fruit Apples, cooking 8.5 Apples, dessert 12.4 Pears, dessert 11.5 Oranges 8.8 Bananas 9.4 Bread White, 1¾ lb. wrapped and sliced loaf 10.3 White, 1¾ lb. unwrapped loaf 10.3 White, 14 oz. loaf 6.5 Brown, 14 oz. loaf 7.3 Flour Self-raising, per 3 lb 12.1 Bacon Collar* 27.7 Gammon* 41.2 Middle cut, smoked* 40.0 Back, smoked 43.0 Back, unsmoked 40.9 Streaky, smoked 27.1
Item Average price (in p. per lb. unless otherwise stated) Ham(not shoulder) 60.6 Pork luncheon meat, 12 oz. can 14.0 Canned (red) salmon, ½-size can 31.3 Milk, ordinary, per pint 5.5 Butter New Zealand 23.9 Danish 25.4 Margarine (per ½ lb.) Standard quality (without added butter) 5.9 Lower priced 5.2 Lard 8.8 Cheese, cheddar type 31.9 Eggs (per dozen) Large 21.8 Standard 18.3 Medium 15.7 Fresh vegetables Potatoes, old, loose White 2.2 Red 2.6 Potatoes, new, loose † Tomatoes 15.6 Cabbage, greens 4.4 Cabbage, hearted 4.1 Cauliflower or broccoli 7.8 Brussels sprouts 7.8 Peas 6.5 Runner beans 8.8 Carrots 4.1 Onions 5.1 Mushrooms (per ¼ lb.) 7.0 Sugar, granulated, 2 lb 8.8 Instant coffee (per 4 oz.) 28.1 Tea (per ¼ lb.) Higher priced 10.8 Medium priced 8.4 Lower priced 8.0 *Or Scottish equivalent. † Insufficient or no quotations.