§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether and, if so, by what amount the cost of living figures for September reflected rises in private sector rents.
§ Sir George Young:Rent data from a sample of private rented dwellings are used in the compilation of the retail prices index. As these rents form only about 0.3 per cent. of average household expenditure, the Department of Employment does not publish separate figures for public and for private rents. I understand, however, that in the 12 months to September, the private rent component, measured net of rent allowances, of the retail prices index rose by about 11 per cent.
§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, and, if so, by what extent the cost of living figures for September included increases in service charges to tenants in the private rental sector.
§ Sir George Young:These service charges represent a minute proportion of overall household expenditure. They are not among the more than 350 representative items for which prices are at present collected for the retail prices index.