To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much (a) house prices and (b) the cost of dwelling insurance and ground rent, as measured by the retail prices index, have risen since January 1987; and if he will provide separate figures for dwelling insurance and ground rent.

House prices are not used directly in the compilation of the retail prices index. The United Kingdom all dwellings mix-adjusted house price index, published by the Department of the Environment, rose by 48 per cent. between the first quarter of 1987 and the first quarter of 1993.Between January 1987 and March 1993, the latest date for which information is available, the dwelling insurance and ground rent section of the retail prices index increased by 97·9 per cent. Separate figures for dwelling insurance and for ground rent are not available.