§ Mr. John Garrettasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he expects to be the weekly cost to the average family budget of the proposals to increase the charges for public services set out in the Government's expenditure plans 1980–81.
§ Mr. BiffenIncreases in charges for public services will depend partly on decisions taken by individual local authorities, and any estimate is bound to be general and provisional. Subject to that, the effect of increased charges for public services referred to in Cmnd. 7746 is not expected to increase the retail price index by more than per cent. This is equivalent to about 25p on the average weekly household budget.