§ Mr. Ian StewartTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what will be the increase in the retail price index due to the increase in local government expenditure not funded from the Exchequer or the business rate.
§ Mr. Ryder[holding answer 8 May 1990]: The average community charge set by local authorities in Great Britain is around £350, a rise of over 30 per cent. on domestic rates in 1989–90. This is expected to add just under 1½ per cent. to the level of the RPI from April and, correspondingly, about one percentage point to the annual rate of inflation.