§ Mr. Alan Williamsasked the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the increase in each of the main components of the cost-of-living index since
Percentage increase between Group 16th June 1970 and 20th February 1973 21st March 1972 and 20th February 1973 19th September 1973 and 20th February 1973 All items … … … 23.2 7.5 3.6 All items excluding food … … … 21.1 6.5 2.6 All items excluding seasonal food … … 23.1 7.0 3.1 Food … … … 29.7 10.7 6.6 Seasonal food … … … 27.3 19.6 14.8 Other food … … … 30.6 8.9 4.9 Alcoholic drink … … … 14.0 5.4 0.9 Tobacco … … … 4.3 2.3 0.1 Housing … … … 28.8 13.6 6.6 Fuel and light … … … 25.5 4.6 2.9 Durable household goods … … … 15.4 4.3 2.3 Clothing and footwear … … … 20.4 6.8 2.8 Transport and vehicles … … … 21.9 4.7 0.7 Miscellaneous goods … … … 20.0 1.6 0.7 Services … … … 25.3 8.0 4.1 Meals bought and consumed outside the home 32.3 10.2 4.3