Higher prices in restaurants, hotels

The harmonised price index has shown that there was an increase of 11.7 per cent in restaurants and hotels, and if one analysed the index more closely the increase was due primarily to hotels.

Answering a parliamentary question by Labour MP Carmelo Abela, Finance Minister Tonio Fenech said the National Statistics Office had already held a number of meetings with the MHRA to explain the methodology used to compile the index, in a methodology that has been in use for several years.

The NSO had also made a study comparing rack rates and achieved room rates, and the trends had been found to be similar.

A comparison of prices in April and March had shown that only five restaurants had increased prices, between 0.12 and 10.02 per cent. An analysis by the Director of Enforcement of prices in 67 restaurants had shown a 0.3 per cent increase in prices.

In his question, Mr Abela had referred to Minister Fenech's saying that he wanted to investigate while restaurant prices had increased by almost 12 per cent in the month between March and April 2009, and asked the Prime Minister how he intended to investigate. Was he aware that restaurant prices might be reflecting the increased utility tariffs, the increase in prices of imported meat and month-long increases in the prices of other products? he asked.