§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the figures for consumers' expenditure on rent, rates and water charges in table 1.6 of the "Monthly Digest of Statistics" include mortgage interest; and if he will publish in theOfficial Report a table showing for each year since 1979 in nominal and real terms the amount spent on local authority rents, other rents, rates, water and sewage charges, and mortgage interest.
531W
§ Mr. Norman Lamont[holding answer 12 February 1990]: Mortgage interest payments are not included in consumers' expenditure.
A split of local authority and other rents is not readily available. Estimates since 1979 of total rents paid, imputed rent (in respect of owner-occupation), and rates, water and sewage charges are given in the table in nominal and real terms. Figures for mortgage interest (gross of tax relief) are available only in nominal terms and to the nearest £ hundred million.
Rents paid Imputed rent Rates, water and sewage charges Mortgage interest £ million £ million £ million £ million Current prices 1979 3,367 6,522 3,464 4,800 1980 3,841 7,830 4,377 7,000 1981 4,998 9,114 5,333 7,900 1982 5,989 10,160 6,274 9,300 1983 6,352 11,181 6,182 9,300 1984 6,508 11,917 6,587 11,700 1985 6,988 12,783 7,151 16,000 1986 7,394 13,622 8,031 17,000 1987 7,920 14,439 8,843 19,600 1988 8,568 15,474 10,032 22,300 At constant 1985 prices 1979 7,532 10,886 6,694 — 1980 7,491 11,162 6,794 — 1981 7,377 11,490 6,818 — 1982 7,201 11,899 6,912 — 1983 7,043 12,259 6,974 — 1984 6,945 12,584 7,061 — 1985 6,988 12,783 7,151 — 1986 6,997 13,027 7,245 — 1987 7,087 13,208 7,343 — 1988 7,184 13,404 7,449 —