§ 6. Sir C. Osborneasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total cost of all the social services combined for each financial year since the war.
§ Mr. BrookeAs the reply contains a large number of figures, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIALREPORT.
§ Sir C. OsborneCould my right hon. Friend give the figure for 1951 and 1961? Do those figures uphold the accusation that the Tories would cut the social services?
§ Mr. BrookeThe figure for 1951–52 was £2,083 million and the estimated figure for 1961–62 is £4,233 million.
§ Mr. WilkinsWill the Chief Secretary consider including in his reply to this Question the change in money values which has taken place in each of the years mentioned, so that Members of Parliament and the public generally may make a true and fair comparison of those figures?
§ Mr. BrookeIf the hon. Member will put a Question on the Order Paper, I shall certainly endeavour to answer it, but this enormous increase in expenditure on the social services under Conservative Government is one of the things which make me unpopular when I have to control further rate of growth.
§ Following is the information:
§ The table below shows the total expenditure by all public authorities on the social services and housing. The figures relate to current and capital expenditure, subsidies and grants. The services included are education, child care, school meals and milk, welfare foods, the National Health Service, National Insurance, non-contributory and war pensions, National Assistance, family allowances and housing.
| Year | Total expenditure | Year | Total expenditure |
| (£ million) | (£ million) | ||
| 1945–46 | 755 | 1954–55 | 2,539 |
| 1946–47 | 1,090 | 1955–56 | 2,708 |
| 1947–48 | 1,337 | 1956–57 | 2,919 |
| 1948–49 | 1,625 | 1957–58 | 3,099 |
| 1949–50 | 1,850 | 1958–59 | 3,419 |
| 1950–51 | 1,918 | 1959–60 | 3,655 |
| 1951–52 | 2,083 | 1960–61 | 3,864 |
| 1952–53 | 2,361 | 1961–62 | 4,233 |
| 1953–54 | 2,470 | (estimate) |