§ Mr. Sillarsasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is able to estimate the proportion of income devoted to food purchase by the average Scottish family: and if he will show how this compares with other regions of the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. GoldingThe proportion of total household expenditure on all goods and services spent on food, including meals bought away from home, by the average household over the two-year period 1975 and 1976 is given below for Scotland, Wales and the standard regions of the United Kingdom:
Percentage Scotland 26.0 Wales 26.9 Northern Ireland 28.7 England: North 24.8 Yorkshire and Humberside 25.8 North-West 25.4 East Midlands 25.2 West Midlands 25.2 East Anglia 25.2 South-East 23.3 South-West 24.4 The figures have been obtained from the Family Expenditure Survey and are subject to sampling error.