HC Deb 12 April 1976 vol 909 c429W
Mr. Norman Lamont

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish a table showing either the public sector borrowing requirement or the public sector deficit, including debt interest in either case, as a proportion of GNP in each of the major industrial countries.

Mr. Joel Barnett

Most other countries do not distinguish the public sector, as we define it, in their accounts. Comparison can however be made by using the concept of the financial balance of the general government sector. On this basis, the latest available estimates for 1975 are shown below.

GENERAL GOVERNMENT* FINANCIAL DEFICIT IN 1975 AS PERCENTAGE OF GNP AT FACTOR COST
United States 5
Germany 7
France
Canada
United Kingdom
* Central, State and local government and social security funds.