---

Treasury;Office for National Statistics

Answer

Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the price in real terms paid by the domestic consumer has changed since 1997 for the purchase of (a) domestic electricity and gas, (b) insulation materials, (c) high efficiency boilers, (d) draught- proofing, (e) double glazing and (f) low energy light- bulbs. [98666] Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply. Letter from Len Cook to David Chaylor, dated 24 February 2003: As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking for the change in price in real terms since 1997 of (a) domestic electricity and gas, (b) insulation materials, (c) high efficiency boilers, (d) draught-proofing, (e) double glazing and (f) low energy light-bulbs. (98666) The Office for National Statistics publishes separate sub-indices of the Retail Prices Index for domestic electricity and gas, but not for any of the other items to which you refer. The following table gives the index numbers relating to the relevant sub-indices for domestic electricity and gas and for the All Items RPI. The figures are for the annual average for 1997 and for January 2003 (the most recently published), together with the corresponding percentage change. _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Average 1997 index January 2003 index Percentage change All items RPI 157.5 178.4 +13.% Electricity 140.0 128.9 -7.9% Gas 123.1 126.4 +2.7% _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Between the 1997 average and January 2003 the electricity index fell by 7.9% whilst the gas index rose by 2.7%. In contrast the All Items RPI increased by 13.3%.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

98666; 400 c212W;400 c210-1W

Session

2002-03

Subjects

Boilers Electricity Households Insulation Inflation Natural gas Prices Lighting Double glazing

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk