asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if he will publish tables of the cumulative increases in (a) consumer
(2) if he will list in the Official Report the full-time occupation and the part-time Government appointments held by each part-time member of the Price Commission.
pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 22nd May 1978; Vol. 950, c. 373–4], gave the following information:prices, and (
b) food prices, from March 1974 to the latest available common date in the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Italy, France, Japan and West Germany.
The cumulative increases as requested are given below. The overall figures conceal differing trends over time. The latest annual increases, which are also given, illustrate the marked reduction in the rate of increase for the United Kingdom relative to that for other countries. The comparisons of increases in food prices are further complicated in that the inclusion of alcoholic drinks and tobacco varies between countries.
| CONSUMER PRICES | |||
| Percentage increase | |||
| March 1974 to March 1978 | Latest 12 months (March 1977 to March 1978) | ||
| United Kingdom | … | 86·9 | 7·9* |
| United States | … | 32·7 | 6·5 |
| Italy | … | 87·7 | 12·3 |
| France | … | 48·1 | 9·0* |
| Japan | … | 42·0 | 4·5 |
| West Germany | … | 19·6 | 2·9* |
| * April 1977 to April 1978. | |||
| FOOD PRICES | |||
| Percentage increase | |||
| March 1974 to March 1978 | Latest 12 months (March 1977 to March 1978) | ||
| United Kingdom | … | 94·5 | 6·3* |
| United States | … | 27·9 | 8·0 |
| Italy | … | 98·8† | 14·1‡ |
| France§ | … | 54·1 | 10·6 |
| Japan | … | 43·4 | 3·2 |
| West Germany§║ | … | 19·0 | 2·0 |
| * April 1977 to April 1978. | |||
| † March 1974 to February 1978. | |||
| ‡ February 1977 to February 1978. | |||
| § Includes beverages. | |||
| ║ Includes tobacco. | |||
Sources:
OECD main economic indicators.
National sources.