Vol. 402 No. 3
59 Mr. Gilmore asked the Taoiseach (a) the items which are included in The Basket which is used to calculate the consumer price index, (b) the weightings given to these items and (c) the changes which have been made in the list of items and weightings over the past ten years.
In principle the Consumer Price Index covers all consumer goods and services. These are divided into approximately 160 item categories. The base percentage expenditure weights for these item categories in the current Consumer Price Index (mid-November 1989 = 100) and the representative selection of 807 separate varieties of goods and services priced for the compilation of the index are listed in the descriptive article in the June 1990 issue — pages 167-182 — of the Statistical Bulletin. The item weights and 722 representative varieties priced in the former series — mid-November 1982 = 100 — are listed in the March 1983 issue — pages 9-13 — of the bulletin. The corresponding details — 685 representative varieties priced — for the mid-November 1975 based series compiled during 1980 are given in the March 1976 — pages 9-13 issue of the bulletin.
