§ Mr. Trotterasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the percentage of GNP directed in 1974 to spending on (a) defence, (b) education, and (c) other social services; what percentage the spending on defence was to total public spending; and what are his estimates of the similar percentages for the current year.
§ Mr. Joel Barnett,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 8th July 1975; Vol. 895, c. 119], gave the following information:
Figures for 1974 corresponding to those given to the hon. Member last December are not yet available.
Estimates for financial years—and with a slightly different coverage—are shown below:
1974–75 (provisional) 1975–76 (estimate) Per cent. of gross domestic product at factor cost Defence … 5.3 5.5 Education … 7.0 7.1 Other social services … 14.9 15.5 Per cent. of total public expenditure Defence … 10.3 10.8 Source: Expenditure estimates from Public Expenditure White Paper (Cmnd. 5879), Table 3.2.