§ Mr. Nicholas BrownTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest information he has for(a) the last quarter and (b) over the last 12 months of the change in (i) manufacturers' prices and (ii) producer prices.
§ Mr. NelsonThe available information for October 1993 is as follows:
Producer prices—all manufacturing Materials and fuel purchased Output prices per cent. per cent. Increase over last three months -2.4 0.2 Increase over last twelve months 0.9 4.0 The increase over the last three months will be affected by seasonal fluctuations.
§ Mr. Nicholas BrownTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of the underlying rate of inflation is accounted for by changes in the price of(a) clothing and footwear, (b) household and leisure goods and (c) council tax.
§ Mr. NelsonThe underlying rate of inflation, as measured by the 12-month percentage movement in the retail prices index excluding mortgage interest payments, stood at 2.8 per cent. in October 1993. Of this clothing and footwear contributed 0.06 percentage points household and leisure goods 0.13 percentage points and council tax/community charge/rates -0.30 percentage points towards the overall figure.