HC Deb 13 July 1999 vol 335 cc187-8W
Mr. Cousins

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the quarter by quarter share of long-term investment in GDP for the least 10 quarters for which figures are available, distinguishing between public and private sector financed long-term investment, and the effect of the private finance initiative. [90930]

Ms Hewitt

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Director of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to reply.

Letter from Tim Holt to Mr. Jim Cousins, dated 13 July 1999: As Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your recent parliamentary question on long-term investment. The ONS does not produce estimates that separate investment into long-term and short-term. It is also not possible to separate investment financed by the private finance initiative within ONS estimates. For information, the attached table gives the latest published estimates of gross fixed capital formation expressed at current prices in £billion. The total is split between private sector and public sector investment.

Gross fixed capital formation, at current prices, seasonally adjusted
£ billion
total public sector Percentage of GDP Private Sector Percentage of GDP
1996 125.7 16.6 2.2 109.1 14.5
1997 134.1 14.9 1.9 119.3 14.9
1998 145.3 14.7 1.8 130.7 15.6
1996Q1 31.0 4.5 2.4 26.5 14.3
1996Q2 31.4 4.7 2.5 26.7 14.3
1996Q3 31.7 4.2 2.2 27.5 14.5
1996Q4 31.6 3.2 1.7 28.4 14.8
1997Q1 32.2 4.1 2.1 28.1 14.4
1997Q2 33.1 3.3 1.7 29.8 15.0
1997Q3 33.5 3.7 1.8 29.8 14.7
1997Q4 35.3 3.8 1.9 31.4 15.4
1998Q1 35.8 3.7 1.8 32.1 15.5
1998Q2 35.6 3.3 1.6 32.3 15.5
1998Q3 36.5 3.7 1.8 32.8 15.6
1998Q4 37.4 4.0 1.9 33.4 15.8
1999Q1 37.2 n/a n/a n/a n/a