§ 19. Mr. Zilliacusasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer approximately what percentage of the total Budget is to be spent on defence, education, health, and old-age pensions, respectively, during this financial year.
Mr. AmoryAs the Answer contains a number of figures, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
Following is the Answer:Ordinary expenditure for the current year was estimated in the Budget at £5,223 million. Of this, £1,521 million, or 29 per cent., was for defence preparations (including Civil Defence). Expenditure on the National Health Services, including welfare foods, was estimated at £560 million, or about 11 per cent. The Government contribution to the cost of the local authority health and education services is included in (and comprises most of) the General Grant which was estimated at £393 million or about 7 per cent. Government expenditure on education (including the universities), outside the General Grant, amounts to £180 million, or about 3½ per cent. Expenditure on non-contributory pensions was estimated at £12 million, or about 0.2 per cent.These figures take no account of retirement pensions, which are paid from the National Insurance Fund and are not a part of ordinary Budget expenditure. They are expected to cost about £650 million in the current year. The Exchequer contribution to this Fund, which relates to retirement pensions and all other National Insurance benefits, was estimated at £170 million, or 3¾ per cent. of ordinary Budget expenditure.