§ Mr.Teddy Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the average increase in telephone charges, including rentals, over the past five years and over the past 10 years, respectively; and by what amount this average exceeded or was less than the increase in the retail price index.
§ Mr. ButcherThe information is as follows:
Period March 1979 to
March 1984 per cent.
March 1974 to
March 1984 per cent.
Percentage increase in BT's total charges 55.4 214.9 Percentage increase in RPI 63.9 236.4 Equivalent annual average increase in BT charges 9.2 12.1 Equivalent annual average increase in RPI 10.4 12.8 Average annual extent to which all telephone charges rise slower than RPI 1.2 0.7