§ Mr. George Rodgersasked the Secretary of State for Employment when the Retail Prices Advisory Committee last met; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BoothThe Retail Prices Index Advisory Committee last met on 24th November 1977. The committee recommended that more detailed information from the index should be published regularly; that certain technical improvements should be made in the method of construction of the index; and that the reference base of the index—currently 15th January 1974—should remain un changed until 1980 at least. I have decided to accept these recommendations. The technical improvements will be implemented as from the index showing the change between January and February, which will be published in March 1978. An article describing the recommendations of the committee in more detail will appear in the February 1978 issue of theDepartment of Employment Gazette.