asked the Minister for Trade, Commerce and Tourism (a) the cost of each of the following items at (i) January 1977; (ii) January 1981 and at the latest available date: a pound of butter, a pint of milk, a loaf of bread, a kilo of flour and a pound of cheese; and (b) the amount of subsidy paid on bread and flour at each date and the total cost of subsidy on bread and flour to the Exchequer for the years 1977 and 1981 with an estimate for 1982.

The following table shows the retail prices of the commodities in question in January 1977, January 1981 and July 1982.

*The prices quoted above are the maximum retail prices as controlled by maximum prices order with the exception of cheese which is not so controlled. Following the EEC farm price decisions on an increase in farm prices for 1982-83, approval was given for an increase in the price of cheese equivalent to 10p per lb. at retail level with effect from 12 July 1982, i.e. to 132 p per lb.

The information regarding the bread and flour subsidies is set out as follows: