§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the largest percentage increase in price of any one item included in the retail prices index since May 1994. [27581]
§ Mr. NelsonAverage price information is available only at item level and only for selected homogeneous products. Of these average prices, the largest percentage increase was for old loose white potatoes which rose by 55 per cent. between May 1994 and April 1995.
At the section level of aggregation, which is published for the whole RPI, the largest percentage increase in any index between May 1994 and April 1995 was 41 per cent. for unprocessed potatoes.
The largest percentage increase for a non-seasonal item was 42 per cent. for filter coffee.
§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the change in the cost of mortgage interest since May 1994; and what effect this has had on the retail prices index. [27582]
§ Mr. NelsonThe percentage increase in the mortgage interest payments index between May 1994 and April 1995 contributed +0.79 percentage points to the 2.9 per cent. increase in all items RPI. During this period the average mortgage interest rate used in the calculation of this index rose from 7.70 per cent. to 8.36 per cent.