§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, taking the rate at the date when hon. Members' salaries were increased as equalling 100, he will publish figures giving the annual percentage rise and fall in the purchasing value of this salary using the official price index for all goods; and if 152W he will publish similar details using only the increases in postal, telephone, telegram, road and rail charges, petrol, and other items incurred by Members from their Parliamentary salaries.
§ Mr. Harold LeverThe annual percentage fall in the purchasing value of Members' salaries, using the official Board of Trade Price Index for all items, is shown in the table below. I regret that to provide the information requested in the second part of the Question would involve a disproportionate expenditure of time and money.
Percentage Fall in Purchasing Value Approximate Purchasing Value £ s. d. October, 1964 … (100.0) 3,250 0 0 October, 1965 … —4.6 (95.4) 3,100 10 0 October, 1966 … —3.7(91.9) 2,989 0 0 October, 1967 … —2.0 (90.1) 2,929 10 0 May, 1968 … —4.2 (86.4) 2,806 10 0