§ Mr. Eldon Griffithsasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each of the past four years the following: hourly charges for the examination of weighing machines and measuring equipment submitted for pattern approval, the percentage by which these fees have increased in each of these years and the proportion by which these increases have varied from the change in the cost of living for each year, respectively.
§ Mr. FletcherThe information is as follows:
Date Hourly charge Increase on earlier rate Increase on a year earlier in RPI £ per hour Per cent. Per cent. 1 January 1981 * — 13.3 1 January 1982 22 — 12.0 1 January 1983 30.25 37.5 4.9 1 January 1984 32 5.8 5.1 * No hourly charge. The fees charged were fixed and listed in a schedule.