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FRIDAY, JANUARY 30, 1981
* PROVISION OF ADVICE AND ASSISTANCE ON ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS
TO PROVIDE ADVICE TO DEPARTMENTS ON ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
IN ORDER TO MINIMISE THE ADVERSE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF THEIR ACTIVITIES AND TO PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO THOSE DEPARTMENTS INVOLVED IN THE EXECUTION OF THE GOVERNMENT'S ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION POLICIES- AND
* TRAINING OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION STAFF
TO EVALUATE THE TRAINING NEEDS OF STAFF INVOLVED IN THE FORMULATION AND EXECUTION OF THE GOVERNMENT'S ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION POLICIES AND TO CO-ORDINATE THE PROVISION OF TRAINING COURSES REQUIRED.
THE AGENCY IS HEADED BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, DR STUART REED, WHO WAS FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ADVISER.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE DEVELOPMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION POLICIES WAS STILL IN ITS INFANCY BUT WAS REGARDED BY THE GOVERNMENT AS AN AREA OF CONSIDERABLE AND INCREASING IMPORTANCE.
THE ENVIRONMENT BRANCH CURRENTLY HAS TWO DEPUTY SECRETARIES, WHO ARE ALREADY FULLY COMMITTED ON TRANSPORT AND LAND MATTERS.
TO ASSIST THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT IN ESTABLISHING POLICIES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, THE GOVERNMENT HAS ALSO DECIDED TO CREATE A THIRD POST OF DEPUTY SECRETARY TO HEAD THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DIVISION OF THE BRANCH.
CONSUMER PRICE INDEXES FOR DECEMBER 1980
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THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT TODAY PUBLISHED THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEXES FOR DECEMBER 1980. THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX (A) AND THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX (B) FOR DECEMBER 1980 WERE BOTH 168, EACH SHOWING A MARGINAL INCREASE OF ONE POINT OR 0.6 PER CENT OVER THE CORRESPONDING INDEXES FOR NOVEMBER 1980.
WHEN COMPARED WITH THE CORRESPONDING MONTH IN 1979, BOTH INDEXES INCREASED BY 21 POINTS OR 14.3 PER CENT.
THE CPI(A) IS BASED ON WEIGHTS DERIVED FROM THE EXPENDITURE PATTERN OF HOUSEHOLDS SPENDING BETWEEN $400 AND $1 499 A MONTH AND THE CPI(B) FROM THOSE SPENDING BETWEEN $1 500 AND $2 999 A MONTH, AS DETERMINED FROM THE HOUSEHOLD EXPENDITURE SURVEY OF 1973/74.
THE INDEXES FOR DECEMBER 1980 IN RESPECT OF THE NINE COMPONENTS OF HOUSEHOLD EXPENDITURE DISTINGUISHED IN THE TWO CONSUMER PRICE INDEXES ARE GIVEN BELOW, TOGETHER WITH THOSE FOR NOVEMBER 1980 AND DECEMBER 1979.
/CPI (A)