§ Mr. Lewisasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent the Government have achieved their declared objective of reducing Government expenditure by a minimum of £100 million per annum.
§ Mr. P. ThorneycroftThe objective was part of the 1956 Budget, and it achieved a good measure of success. I so informed the hon. Member for Govan (Mr. Rankin)on 29th January and added that I proposed thereafter to concentrate my attention on the Estimates for the next year.
I have done so: and the 1957 Budget surplus was the outcome of the efforts by my predecessors and recently by myself with the support of our colleagues to keep the level of Government expenditure under control. In the debate on the Economic Situation on 25th July, I informed the House that these efforts will continue and that next year's expenditure will be the subject of the most stringent scrutiny.