asked the Minister of Labour if he will now include tinned meats of all kinds in the items covered by the cost-of-living index.

The Cost of Living Advisory Committee is at present meeting to consider the possible revision of the present Interim Index of Retail Prices. I must, therefore, ask the hon. Member to await the results of the Committee's deliberations.

Does not the Minister agree that, in view of the large numbers of people who now have to buy tinned meat to eke out the microscopic meat ration, it is totally unrepresentative in a cost-of-living index not to include the cost of this item?

I am sure that the Committee will take the hon. Member's observations into consideration.