§ 17. Mr. Bruce-Gardyneasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost to public funds of preparing the details of the Treasury's Scottish budget.
§ Mr. DiamondDepartments have not kept a detailed record of their work on this question, but I estimate that the total cost was rather more than £3,000.
§ Mr. Bruce-GardyneThat figure should be treated with the same sort of reservation as is made about some of the figures in the budget itself, but would the right hon. Gentleman give us any idea of the amount of time taken by firms in answering the questionnaire for the purpose of this exercise? Can he say what specific purpose this whole exercise has served?
§ Mr. DiamondThe hon. Gentleman asked me what was the cost to public funds, and I have given him the answer —the cost to public funds. Therefore, I have not to deal with the other irrelevant points he has just put to me.
§ Mrs. EwingWas it considerations of cost by the Labour Government and their predecessors which prevented them from publishing a Scottish budget over the last 17 years, or was there some other reason?
§ Mr. DiamondI cannot accept responsibility for everything which has gone on in this House over the last 17 years.