HC Deb 19 July 1979 vol 970 cc785-6W
Mr. Knox

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for (a) all consumer prices (b) food prices in each member State of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (i) the cumulative increase in the period March 1974 to April 1979 and (ii) the average annual rate of increase, in the period March 1974 to April 1979.

Mrs. Sally Oppenheim

The information requested is attached. The figures cannot strictly be compared because of variations in composition, coverage and compilation of the various price indices. For example the incidence of rent, restaurant meals and house repairs varies amongst the " all items indices ", whilst amongst the food indices some include alcoholic beverages and tobacco.

CONSUMER PRICE INCREASES AND FOODPRICE INCREASES, MARCH 1974—APRIL 1979
Consumer price increases March 1974—April 1979
Cumulative Annualised
Australia (1) 77.2 12.1
Austria 33.9 5.9
Belgium 49.0 8.2
Canada 56.0 9.1
Denmark 60.9 9.8
Finland 81.5 12.4
France 64.7 10.3
Germany (FDR) 24.2 4.4
Greece 92.7 13.8
Iceland (1) 438.2 40.0
Ireland (1)(2) 101.2 15.0
Italy 113.9 16.1
Japan 47.5 8.0
Luxembourg (2)(3) 41.8 7.1
Netherlands 41.4 7.1
New Zealand (1) 90.9 13.8
Norway 51.1 8.5
Portugal 148.7 19.6
Spain 141.8 19.0
Sweden 58.0 9.4
Switzerland (4) 16.7 3.1
Turkey (5) 223.3 28.0
United Kingdom 108.8 15.6
United States 47.7 8.0
Yugoslavia (6) 125.0 17.6

Notes (Consumer Prices):

  1. (1) February 1974-February 1979—Quarterly Index.
  2. (2) Excludes rent.
  3. (3) Excludes restaurant meals.
  4. (4) Excludes house repairs.
  5. (5) March 1974-December 1978.
  6. (6) March 1974-March 1979

Food price increases (1) March 1974-April 1979
Cumulative Annualised
Australia 69.4 10.9
Austria (3) 30.3 5.4
Belgium (3)(5) 39.8 6.8
Canada 69.8 11.0
Denmark 64.4 10.8
Finland 96.0 14.2
France 67.7 10.7
Germany (FDR) (3)(4) 20.7 3.8
Greece 102.1 14.8
Iceland (2)(3) 384.1 37.1
Ireland (2) 117.6 16.8
Italy 131.0 17.9
Japan 44.8 7.5
Luxembourg (5) 37.5 6.5
Netherlands (3) 31.2 5.5
New Zealand 97.8 14.4
Norway 53.1 8.7
Portugal (3) 222.7 25.9
Spain (3)(4) 137.1 18.5
Sweden 64.6 10.3
Switzerland 18.3 3.4
Turkey (6) 255.2 30.6
United Kingdom (5) 117.3 16.5
United States 46.0 7.7
Yugoslavia (7) 130.9 18.2

Notes (Food Prices):

  1. (1) All include restaurant meals and exclude beverages and tobacco, unless otherwise stated.
  2. (2) February 1974-February 1979 (Quarterly Index).
  3. (3) Includes beverages.
  4. (4) Includes tobacco.
  5. (5) Excludes restaurant meals.
  6. (6) March 1974-December 1978.
  7. (7) March 1974-March 1979.

Sources:

OECD " Main Economic Indicators ".

United Nations monthly: Bulletin of Statistics Department of Employment—retail price index

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