§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will give an estimate of the rise in fares, distribution costs, food prices and the cost of living of a rise of 5p, 10p, 15p and 20p a gallon on petrol and home, domestic and business heating fuel.
§ Mr. Chichester-ClarkMy Department has no information on the effect of fuel price increases on fares, distribution costs and food prices. However, it is possible 279W to estimate the direct effect on the retail prices index of a given percentage increase in the price of petrol and domestic heating fuel. For example, a 10 per cent. increase in the price of petrol would raise the index by about 0.3 per cent. and a similar increase in the price of domestic heating oil would raise it by about 0.03 per cent.