Written question asked by Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative) on Tuesday, 4 March 2008, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 6 March 2008. It was answered by Angela Eagle (Labour) on Tuesday, 11 March 2008 on behalf of the Office for National Statistics.

Inflation

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his most recent estimate is of the rate of inflation.

Answer: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 11 March 2008:"As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what is the most recent estimate of the rate of inflation. (192371).""There are two main measures of consumer inflation published by the Office for National Statistics, the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) which forms the basis for the Government's inflation target and the Retail Prices Index (RPI) which has many uses including the indexation of state benefits and pensions. The latest data for these can be found on the National Statistics website at:""http://www.statistics.gov.uk/instantfigures.asp"

Secondary information