§ Mr. Anthony Grantasked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what is his estimate of the increase in prices of funeral charges, soft drink mixers sold in public houses, hearing-aids, call-out charges, prescribed school clothing and intruder alarm systems, respectively, over the last three years after allowing for inflation; and if he will express these increases as a percentage of the average industrial wage increase over the same period.
§ Mr. MaclennanOn funeral charges I refer the hon. Member to the Price Commission's report that was published today. Information on the remaining items may appear in the reports of the commission on these subjects when they are published. The information cannot otherwise be obtained without disproportionate expenditure.
§ Mr. Viggersasked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what was the rate of increase of retail prices on 6th March 1974, or the nearest convenient date thereto, and on 6th March 1977, or the nearest convenient date thereto, taken in both cases at the annual rate.
§ Mr. MaclennanThe annual rate of inflation was 13.2 per cent. at 19th February 1974 and 16.2 per cent. at 15th February 1977.
§ Mr. Viggersasked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what was the rate of increase of retail prices on 6th March 1974, or the nearest convenient date thereto, and on 6th March 1977, or the nearest convenient date thereto, taken in both cases at an annual rate based upon the three months next preceding the date upon which that date is calculated.
§ Mr. MaclennanA period of three months is too short for making a reliable assessment of the trend in price increases. However, for what it is worth, the rise in the retail price index in the three months to 19th February 1974 was equivalent to an annual rate of 17.5 per cent. The corresponding figure for the three months to 15th February 1977 was 21.6 per cent.