Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the latest Consumer Price Index from the ONS which shows that there has been a rise in the cost of raw materials for UK manufacturers.

Consumer Price Index is a measure of inflation experienced directly by consumers and so does not incorporate costs of raw materials for UK manufacturers.

The rate of inflation for inputs into UK Manufacturing (materials and fuel), which can be quite volatile, declined in December and also November from its peak in October.