§ In the summer the Government announced very substantial increases in child benefits for the coming year, measures to implement the Holland Committee's proposals on manpower and training, and a major increase in the number of children eligible for free school meals; together these increases in public expenditure will cost some £475 million at 1977 Survey prices.
§ The Government recognise that exceptional difficulties are now faced by the construction industry. They have therefore decided to increase expenditure next year on construction by the central Government and local authorities by £400 million at Survey prices over and above the existing plans. The allocation of this additional amount between different programmes will be announced as soon as possible. The full effect of this decision will be to increase employment by some 30,000.
§ The Government have also decided on certain smaller increases in public expenditure programmes for next year. They are increasing the overseas aid programme by £20 million. They are increasing the law and order programme by £9 million to provide additional resources for police cadets, civilian support, police vehicles and equipment, and also for the prisons and the community service schemes. There will be additional provision in the social field to help the disabled by a further increase in mobility allowance next year 1439 and to ease the strain on hard-pressed health authorities. There will be provision to enable schools to take on some more teachers to meet the needs of children in deprived areas and for small additions to the budgets for science and the arts. Allowing for these decisions and the measures announced in the summer, public expenditure next year is being increased by £1 billion at 1977 Survey prices.
§ The Public Expenditure Survey will be completed and the usual White Paper published around the turn of the year. This will also incorporate any further adjustments in the expenditure figures, such as any changes resulting from discussions with the banks about the refinancing of export and shipbuilding credits.