HC Deb 19 March 1968 vol 761 cc267-8

With the Budget before the end of March, the outturn figures for 1967–68 can be only provisional. The outturn of total revenue in 1967–68 on the new accounting basis is expected to be £11,177 million, that is, £84 million more than the estimate. Total expenditure, at £10,878 million, is £519 million above the original estimate. The bulk of this excess arises in the Supply Services and is the outcome of a number of changes over the year which have already been debated.

The surplus on the Consolidated Fund, that is, the difference between total revenue and total expenditure, is thus expected to be £299 million, a decrease of £435 million on last year's Budget estimate when converted to the new basis. Under the new arrangements this surplus is transferred to the National Loans Fund.

The provisional total for loans from the National Loans Fund is put at £1,748 million. The reduction of £18 million on the Budget estimate is mainly the net result of a shortfall of £135 million in drawings by local authorities from the Public Works Loan Board, offset by additional lending to the nationalised industries.

After taking into account the surplus of £299 million on the Consolidated Fund, the balance on the National Loans Fund which is met mainly by borrowing is expected to be £1,449 million as against an estimate of £1,032 million.