§ Mr. Andrew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether his Department keeps an index of housing costs for those living in rented accommodation.
§ Mr. ChopeThe Department does not maintain such an index. There are separate indices for rent and other items of housing expenditure within the general index of retail prices (RPI), which is published monthly by the Central Statistical Office. The RPI, of course, reflects the expenditure patterns of the majority of households and not just those in rented accommodation.