§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will state the retail price of butter for each year since 1970, in actual prices and in constant prices and also showing 1970 as 100.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonThe information requested is given in the table. The figures are based on average prices, published by the Department of Employment, which are used in the compilation of the retail price index (RPI):
Average retail prices of butler in the United Kingdom Actual price Average prices at constant (1970) prices1 p/250 grammes2 Index 1970=100 P/250 grammes2 Index 1970=100 1970 10.0 100 10.0 100 1971 13.6 136 12.4 124 1972 15.1 150 12.9 129 1973 12.7 127 9.9 99 1974 13.2 132 8.9 89 1975 16.8 168 9.1 91 1976 24.3 243 11.3 113 1977 29.9 299 12.0 120 1978 33.4 334 12.4 124 1979 39.8 398 13.0 130 1980 43.3 433 12.0 120 1981 46.1 460 11.4 114 1982 49.8 498 11.4 114 1983 49.9 499 10.9 109 1984 51.0 510 10.6 106 1985 52.5 525 10.3 103 1986 52.5 525 9.9 99 1 Average prices deflated by the RPI All-items index. 2 Prices converted to 250 grammes equivalent. Prior to 1980 prices were collected in terms of p/lb.