asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent deliberate fiscal measures have accounted for the rise in the cost of living since September, 1946.

The old cost of living index showed no change between September, 1946, and June, 1947. Between June, 1947, when the new interim index of retail prices was introduced, and February, 1949, the last month for which a figure has been published, there was an increase of approximately nine points of which a net increase of about two and three-quarter points could be attributed to deliberate fiscal measures.