HC Deb 25 July 1985 vol 83 cc660-1W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for 1984 the weight given to expenditure on services and on transport and vehicles in the retail prices index at present compared with 1978, 1970 and 1956.

Mr. Alan Clark

The information is as follows:

Retail Prices Index Expenditure Weights out of 1,000
Services Transport and vehicles
1956 58 68
1970 55 126
1978 56 140
1984 65 158

Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will publish in the Official Report information showing the weight council house rents have in the retail prices index on the same basis as given in the answer of 1 December 1982, Official Report, columns 208–90.

Mr. Alan Clark

The weight attached to local authority rents in the retail price index for the current year is approximately 28 out of 1,000.