asked the Minister for Supplies if he will state the several commodities the maximum prices of which are now fixed and controlled under price orders made by him, and indicate in each case the retail price so fixed and the retail price at which each such commodity was sold retail at mid-August, 1939.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Fixed Retail Prices.
The maximum retail prices of the following commodities have been fixed under price orders: batch bread, flour, biscuits, cocoa, coffee, fresh milk, condensed milk, tea, sugar, butter, lard, dripping, oatmeal, bread soda, cigarettes, matches, candles, petrol, paraffin, coal, turf, firewood, animal feeding stuffs.
Maximum wholesale prices have been fixed by order for the following commodities, but the retail price has not been fixed: bacon, tallows and greases, milled oats, cast iron scrap, waste paper, timber. Local prices for gas have also been fixed for certain towns.
The maximum prices fixed by order can be supplied to the Deputy in a written statement, but they are too numerous and detailed for recital. The retail prices so fixed have been published from time to time and the prices set out in the summary list published on 22nd November in all the leading newspapers are, with a few exceptions, still in force. The retail price at which each of these commodities was sold in August, 1939, cannot be indicated in each case to correspond to the prices fixed by order. Certain information is available as to the prices of most of these commodities then prevailing, but in the open market which existed in mid-August, 1939, there were variations in the retail prices charged for the same commodity in different localities. The quality of the commodities varied greatly and retail prices varied accordingly. The prices now fixed are maximum prices and it would be difficult to ascertain the maximum prices prevailing in 1939 for any commodity with the exception of batch bread, the maximum price of which was then fixed. The compiling of a wide range of prices prevailing in different areas would not serve any useful purpose and would not justify the work involved. I may suggest to the Deputy that the figures for the price of commodities on which the cost-of-living index figure for mid-August, 1939, was based are available in the journal of the Department of Industry and Commerce for September, 1939. In the issue of the journal for September, 1941, a similar statement appears showing the prices on which the cost-of-living figure for mid-August, 1941, is based. It must be emphasised that these figures are not comparable with the maximum prices which are now fixed by order.