asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he can give figures showing the changes in the retail prices of the basic foodstuffs since the beginning of the war?
According to the statement appearing in the "Ministry of Labour Gazette" for April, 1943, the changes between 1st September, 1939, and 1st April, 1943, in the retail prices of the foods included in the cost of living index, which comprise the majority of the basic foodstuffs consumed in this country, were as follow:
| Percentage Increase (unless otherwise shown).Per cent | |
| Beef British— | |
| Ribs | 11 |
| Thin Flank | 27 |
| Beef Chilled or Frozen— | |
| Ribs | 35 |
| Thin Flank | 23 |
| Mutton British— | |
| Legs | 13 |
| Breast | 8 |
| Mutton Frozen— | |
| Legs | 16 |
| Breast | — |
| Bacon | 50 |
| Fish | 32 |
| Flour | 26 |
| Bread | 9 |
| Tea | 21 |
| Sugar (granulated) | 1 (decrease) |
| Milk | 32 |
| Butter— | |
| Fresh | 21 |
| Salt | 31 |
| Cheese | 30 |
| Margarine— | |
| Special | 12 |
| Standard | 12 |
| Eggs (fresh) | 1 |
| Potatoes | 5 |
On the basis of the above figures the average level of retail food prices at 1st April, 1943 was nearly 20 per cent. higher than at the beginning of September, 1939.