§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) whether he will circulate in the Official Report a table showing the weights used for (a) motor fuels, and (b) different heating and lighting fuels in the retail price index in 1952, 1962, 1972, 1974, and at the latest available date; and to what extent the change in the weight was due to a change in the amount consumed in each case;
RPI weights per 1,000 Price in May 1980 taking prices in January 1962 as 100 1952 1962 1972 1974 1980 Fuel and light Coal … … … … 30 26 15 10 8 721 Coke … … … … 2 5 3 1* Gas … … … … 18 12 13 13 16 303 Electricity … … … 14 18 24 23 29 634 Oil and other fuel and light 4 4 3 3 5 — Transport and vehicles Petrol and oil … … — 17 32 32 43 563 * Smokeless fuel. The weights used in the retail prices index represent the amount spent by United Kingdom households on particular goods and services as a proportion of 470W the numbers registered as unemployed and the number of unfilled vacancies in the Woolwich employment office area during each of the most recent 12 months for which figures are available.
§ Mr. Jim LesterFollowing is the information:
(2) what is the description of the fuel and light products in the retail price index; what is their respective weight currently and in January 1962; and what is the current retail price as a percentage of the price in 1962.
§ Mr. Jim LesterThe weights given to the components of fuel and light in the retail prices index are given below together with changes in their prices since 1962.
their total expenditure. Changes in the weights therefore reflect changes in the relative movements both in the quantities of items purchased and in their prices. An 471W indication of changes in the absolute levels of consumption of particular items can be obtained by taking actual expenditure on the items after allowing for
AVERAGE WEEKLY HOUSEHOLD EXPENDITURE AT 1962 PRICES (£) 1962 1972 1974 1978 Coal and coke … 0.46 0.24 0.21 0.15 Gas and hire of gas appliances … 0.22 0.41 0.45 0.53 Electricity and hire of electric appliances … 0.38 0.53 0.51 0.48 Petrol and oil … 0.35 0.69 0.73 0.73 Source: Family Expenditure Survey and RPI.