HL Deb 14 February 1991 vol 526 cc14-5WA
Lord Stoddart of Swindon

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How much is one pound sterling of May 1979 worth today; and what are the comparable figures for the German deutschmark and the French franc.

The Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Hesketh)

The purchasing power of one pound of May 1979, based on movements in the Retail Prices Index, was 42 pence in December 1990. Comparable figures for the German deutschmark and the French franc are 72 pfennig and 47 centimes respectively.