HC Deb 01 May 1974 vol 872 cc484-6W
Mrs. Sally Oppenheim

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what proportion of total average weekly expenditure on food is accounted for by fish, among households with one woman, one man and three children, with a weekly income of £30-£40;

(2) what proportion of total average weekly expenditure on food is accounted for by fresh meat, including beef, veal, mutton, lamb, pork, ham (cooked including canned), bacon and ham (uncooked), poultry and other undefined meat, among households with one woman, one man and three children, with a weekly income of £30-£40;

(3) what proportion of total weekly expenditure on food is accounted for by fresh fruit among households with one man, one woman and three children with a weekly income of £30-£40;

(4) what proportion of total average weekly expenditure on food is accounted for by fresh potatoes and other undefined vegetables, among households with one woman, one man and three children, with a weekly income of £30-£40.

Mr. Booth

The following information is from the Family Expenditure Survey 1972:

Food Commodity Percentage of total food expenditure
Fish* 2.9
Fresh, cooked and canned meat 22.1
Fresh fruit 2.6
Fresh potatoes 2.7
Other undefined vegetables† 7.0
*Includes chips where not separable.
†Includes potato products other than fresh potatoes.

Mrs. Sally Oppenheim

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list all food items normally included in the Family Expenditure Survey, and in each case indicate what proportion of total average weekly expenditure on food is accounted for by each item, in the case of households consisting of one woman, one man and three children, under the age of 11 years, on the national average wage.

Mr. Booth

I regret that information is not available in the precise form requested. Estimates are available from the Family Expenditure Survey 1972 for households consisting of one man, one woman and three children under the age of 16 and in receipt of a weekly income in the range of £40 but under £50 per week—and for these households the average weekly earnings of the head were similar to the average weekly earnings for all full-time adult males. The following is the information:

Food Commodity Percentage of total foood expenditure
Bread, milk loaves, rolls etc. 5.7
Flour, plain and self-raising 0.2
Biscuits, shortbread, wafers, etc 3.3
Cakes, buns, currant bread, fruit pies, pastries, scones, etc. 2.6
Composite purchase of bread, flour, biscuits, cakes not separately distinguished 0.2
Prepared breakfast cereals 1.4
Other cereals, e.g. oatmeal, macaroni, custard powder 1.0
Beef and veal 4.6
Mutton and lamb 2.5
Pork 1.5
Bacon and ham (uncooked) 2.4
Ham, cooked (including canned) 0.8
Poultry, cooked and uncooked, canned, bottled, frozen 2.3
Game, venison, rabbits (cooked and uncooked, canned, bottled and frozen)
Liver and other offal 0.5
Sausages (uncooked) and sausage meat 1.8
Cooked meat and meat products 2.9
Canned and bottled meats and meat products 1.6
Meat, other and undefined 0.6
Fish (including shellfish)—fresh fried, canned and frozen 1.8
Fish and chips, fried fish, fish cakes 0.8
Butter 2.5
Margarine 1.1
Lard, cooking fats, vegetable fats and oils 0.6
Milk, fresh 10.
Skimmed milk, canned and dried milk and cream, yoghourt and other milk products 0.6
Milk baby foods 0.3
Food Commodity Percentage of total food expenditure
Fresh cream 0.2
Cheese, including processed cheese 2.0
Eggs—shell and liquid 2.5
Potatoes 2.6
Potato products, including chips, potato crisps 1.5
Other fresh vegetables, including tomatoes and undefined vegetables 2.9
Other canned and bottled vegetables, including tomatoes and tomato juice 2.2
Frozen vegetables 0.5
Fresh fruit and undefined fruit 2.6
Canned and bottled fruit, including juices and fruit syrups 1.2
Dried fruit and nuts 0.3
Sugar 1.6
Syrup, honey, lemon curd, marmalade, etc. 0.5
Sweets and chocolates 3.6
Tea 1.4
Coffee 1.1
Cocoa, drinking chocolate 0.1
Other food drinks, other than milk baby foods 0.1
Soft drinks, e.g. squashes, cordials, crystals, powders 1.7
Ice cream, iced lollies 0.7
Soups (tinned and packeted) 1.1
Sweet and savoury flavourings, condiments, colourings, decorations, yeast 0.7
Packeted foods (not for store), e.g. jellies, mincement, puddings not in tins, ground almonds 0.9
Packeted goods (for store) e.g. tinned vegetable salad, tinned or packeted "ready to heat" meals 0.5
Pickles, sauces, chutneys, mayonnaise 0.7
Sandwiches 0.1
Foods, other and undefined
Meals (other than state school meals) bought away from home, including tips 7.8
State school meals 5.2