§ Mr. Marlowasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will review the working of the retail price index, with a view to seeking ways to minimise the wide variation in the effect of raising the same amount of revenue through taxes on different categories of item, many of which are price-inelastic.
§ Mr. Jim LesterI shall reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.
§ Mr. Higginsasked the Secretary of State for Employment whether the weight given to tobacco and cigarettes in the retail price index reflects the size of the proportion of the population which does not buy either.
§ Mr. Jim LesterI shall reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.