§ Mr. Maxwell-Hyslopasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the percentage change in the retail price of each item appearing in "Food Facts No. 4", 27th June 1977, table 1, taking the first quarter of 1975 as base, and giving the percentage change in the first quarter of 1976 and 1977, respectively; and what each of these figures would have been had the 1975 subsidy rates remained unchanged.
334W
§ Mr. StrangInformation from the National Food Survey indicates that average retail prices paid by housewives in (a) the first quarter of 1976 and (b) the first quarter of 1977, expressed as percentage changs on such prices in the first quarter of 1975, were as follows:
335W
Percentage change (positive unless otherwise indicated) Commodity (a) (b) Liquid milk 55 90 Other milk 12 22 Cheese (natural) 20 47 Butter 25 100 Margarine -3 14 Lard and compound cooking fat -11 3 Eggs 9 34 Preserves 6 17 Sugar -19 -17 Beef and veal 23 45 Mutton and lamb 13 45 Pork 13 28 Bacon and ham (uncooked) 24 28 Bacon and ham (cooked) 15 27 Poultry and cooked chicken 8 36 Other cooked meat (not canned) 14 31 Other canned meat 6 28 Offals 1 11 Sausages (uncooked) 17 32 Meat pies and sausage rolls (ready to eat) 17 37 All others (not frozen) 19 42 Fish, fresh and processed 19 44 Canned fish —2 15 Fish and fish products, frozen 18 50 Fresh green vegetables 25 96 Fresh tomatoes 6 18 Other fresh vegetables 14 66 Frozen vegetables 27 44 Canned tomatoes -4 8 Canned peas 12 26 Canned beans 4 14 Potatoes 256 295 Citrus fruit 22 37 Bananas 10 21 Apples 1 19 All other fresh fruit 27 27 Canned fruit 8 30 Dried fruit, nuts and fruit and nut products -6 35 Flour -4 19 White bread 10 34 Brown, wholewheat and wholemeal bread 16 38 Other bread 6 19 Buns, scones and teacakes 4 25 Cakes and pastries 15 30 Chocolate biscuits 6 26 Other biscuits 7 20 Breakfast cereals 13 27 Oatmeal and oat products 4 20 Canned milk puddings 15 30 Tea 11 76 Instant coffee 20 109 Canned soups 12 27 Pickles and sauces 23 39 Had the consumer subsidy rates payable over the first quarter of 1975 remained unchanged subsequently, then it is estimated that the percentage changes in retail prices for the subsidised foods might instead have been as follows:
Percentage change (positive unless otherwise indicated) Commodity (a) (b) Liquid milk 46 63 Cheese (natural) 18 24 Butter 29 62 White bread 6 24 Brown, wholewheat and wholemeal bread 13 29 Flour —4 19 Tea 11 57