§ Mr. Ridleyasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the total of Government expenditure above the line, and the percentage of the gross national product which this represents, for the years 1952–53 to 1962–63.
§ Mr. BarberThe following are the figures asked for. Those for 1962–63 relate to the Budget Estimates. It is not customary to publish a forecast of the gross national product for the current year.
— Above-the-line expenditure Percentage of Gross National Product £million 1952–53 … 4,342 30.5 1953–54 … 4,294 28.3 1954–55 … 4,335 26.9 1955–56 … 4,494 26.1 1956–57 … 4,871 26.2 1957–58 … 4,939 25.0 1958–59 … 5,087 25.1 1959–60 … 5,273 24.4 1960–61 … 5,784 25.4 1961–62 … 6,235 26.1 1962–63 … 6,365 —