asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce the names and the number of household items, including food products, which have increased in price since the passing of the recent budget; and the prebudget and post-budget price of each such item named to the latest available price increase date.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Price Increases.
69.
I presume that the Deputy has in mind retail prices. Owing to fluctuations in such prices arising from the inter-play of competition, it is not possible for me to give any definitive answer to his question and I must confine my reply to drink and to commodities, the maximum retail prices of which are fixed under maximum price orders. As the information is in the form of a tabular statement, I propose, A Cheann Comhairle, to have copies circulated with the Official Report.
Following is the statement:
|
Commodity |
Prices prior to 11/4/74 |
Prices as from 11/4/74 |
|
|
Butter—Foil Wrapped |
28½p |
30½p. |
per lb. |
|
(excluding butter in ½ lb. packs containing no salt and marked as such by the manufacturer) |
|||
|
Butter—Parchment Wrapped |
28p |
30p |
per lb. |
|
Bottled Gas: |
|||
|
Propane 3.8 kilograms |
£1.13 |
£1.15 |
per cylinder |
|
Butane 4.5 kilograms |
£1.15 |
£1.17 |
per cylinder |
|
Butane 5 kilograms |
£1.27 |
£1.29 |
per cylinder |
|
Propane 11 kilograms |
£1.52 |
£1.57 |
per cylinder |
|
Butane 11.343 kilograms |
£1.56 |
£1.61½ |
per cylinder |
|
Propane 12.5 kilograms |
£1.84 |
£1.90 |
per cylinder |
|
Butane 15.5 kilograms |
£2.01 |
£2.08 |
per cylinder |
|
Propane 34 kilograms |
£4.13 |
£4.29 |
per cylinder |
|
Propane 24 lbs. |
£1.54 |
£1.59½ |
per cylinder |
|
Butane 26 lbs. |
£1.54 |
£1.59½ |
per cylinder |
|
Baby Foods: |
|||
|
Cow and Gate Babymilk 1 |
36½p |
45½p |
per 1 lb. |
|
SMA powder |
47p |
50p |
per 450 grams |
|
Margarine: |
|||
|
Stork, Sunrose, Crown, Crest |
9½p |
12½p |
per ½ lb. |
|
Summer County |
12p |
15½p |
per ½ lb. |
|
Colleen |
12p |
15p |
per ½ lb. |
|
Blue Band, Crest Golden |
12½p |
16p |
per ½ lb. |
|
Kraft |
12½p |
15½p |
per ½ lb. |
|
Flora |
14p |
18p |
per ½ lb. |
|
Cooking Fat: |
|||
|
HiFry, Frytex |
9p |
11p |
per ½ lb. |
|
Cookeen |
12p |
15p |
per ½ lb. |
|
Frozen Garden Peas: |
|||
|
4 oz. |
8p |
8½p |
per 4 oz. packet |
|
8 oz. |
13p |
14p |
per 8 oz. packet |
|
16 oz. |
19p |
20p |
per 16 oz. packet |
|
Frozen Sliced Green Beans: |
|||
|
4 oz. |
11p |
11½p |
per 4 oz. packet |
|
8 oz. |
17p |
18p |
per 8 oz. packet |
|
12 oz. |
23½p |
25p |
per 12 oz. packet |
|
Frozen Brussels Sprouts: |
|||
|
4 oz. |
11½p |
12p |
per 4 oz. packet |
|
8 oz. |
19p |
20p |
per 8 oz. packet |
|
12 oz. |
24½p |
26p |
per 12 oz. packet |
Drink Price Increase Effective from 6th April, 1974.
|
Commodity |
Amount of Price Increase |
|
Draught stout, ale and lager per pint |
1p |
|
Draught stout, ale and lager per ½ pint |
½p |
|
Stout and ale per pint bottle |
1½p |
|
Stout, ale and lager per ½ pint bottle |
1p |
|
Crested Ten Whiskey and Kiskadee per glass |
2p (1p per half-glass) |
|
Spirits Other than Crested Ten Whiskey and Kiskadee per glass |
1p (½p per half-glass) |
NOTE: It is not feasible to give actual drink prices prior to and from 6/4/74 since they vary from area to area of the country.
Can the Minister give the approximate number of items in his tabular statement?
Yes. Butter, bottled gas, baby foods, margarine, cooking fat, frozen garden peas, frozen sliced green beans, frozen brussels sprouts and some drink.
What drink?
Draught stout, stout and ale in pint bottles, stout, ale, and lager in half-pint bottles, Crested Ten Whiskey and Kiskadee per glass and spirits other than Crested Ten Whiskey and Kiskadee per glass.
Were these prices recommended by the National Prices Commission?
The Deputy will be aware that the recommendation comes from the National Prices Commission——
And the decision is the Minister's?
Yes.
Would the Minister agree with the recent statements of the National Prices Commission that they should not publish in tabular form the recommended price increases finally accepted by the Minister? They said that because of the psychology of inflation it was important that they did not publish these price increases in tabular form and, in fact, that the price increases should be dealt with secretly. That was the inference I drew as an ordinary layman. It seemed extraordinary to me that the National Prices Commission's recommendations are not published. Can the Minister explain the psychology behind that thinking?
The Deputy is trying to broaden the scope of the question.
No, I am trying to narrow it.
The Deputy will be aware that since the National Prices Commission were established by the previous Government their membership and terms of reference have been unchanged. In fact, they enjoy considerable autonomy. I do not think there was very much interference by my predecessor and they are not interfered with by me. They have the right, in their wisdom, to make recommendations of various kinds, both about prices and matters that relate to inflation. They have made many such recommendations in the past; some have been accepted, others accepted in part and some have not been accepted. Their opinion is simply an opinion which is not binding. I have not taken a decision about the correct course.
The Minister has not replied to my question. My point is that the National Prices Commission do not intend publishing the recommended price increases in tabular form, as was done previously. I understand in future they will only publish 2,000 copies of the report.
The Deputy is making a statement, not asking a question.
I am asking the Minister if he agrees with the recommendation that the price increases should not be printed publicly.
I do not think the Deputy understands precisely what recommendation was made.
I am calling Question No. 70.
I wish to have an answer to my question. I am asking the Minister if he agrees that the price increases should not be published.
The next question has been called.