§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection whether he will cause an investigation to be made to ascertain how and why in the week ended Friday 10th February 1977 there were 180 price increases including breakfast cereals, cakes, canned meat, canned vegetables, ice cream, margarine and salad dressings, bring the total since 1st January 1978 to 1,962.
§ Mr. MaclennanMy right hon. Friend does not believe that a Price Commission examination of this matter is called for. The figures quoted include price rises for various varieties and sizes of the same products, and by themselves do not give an accurate picture of the trend in food prices. The January retail price index rose by 0.6 per cent. over the December figure and the annual rate of increase is now down to 9.9 per cent. Complaints about prices charged by individual firms are a matter for the Price Commission.