To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the current rate of inflation if mortgage interest payments were excluded from the calculation of the retail price index.

It would be 6·1 per cent. in the year to January.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which European Community countries (a) include and (b) exclude mortgage interest payments in the assessment of consumer inflation.

Of EC countries, only the United Kingdom and Ireland include mortgage interest payments in their calculation of the consumer price index. Three other countries, Germany, Netherlands and Spain include some other indicator of owner-occupiers' costs. The remaining seven make no such allowance.