§ Mr. Gordon BrownTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide an index for the cost of living for consumers based on the retail price index but excluding indirect taxes, including value added tax, excise duties and rates, measured at December each year from 1973 to 1979 taking the value of the index as 1979 equals 100.
§ Mr. Lilley[holding answer 9 March 1989]: The following are estimates of the movement in the RPI excluding VAT, excise duties and rates measured at December each year. Information before 1974 is not available.
December 1979=100 Index 1974 51 1975 62 1976 72 1977 80 1978 87 1979 100