§ Mrs. Castleasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the year by year effect on the public sector borrowing requirement and the public sector financial deficit of the growth targets for the period up to and including 1979–80 set out in Command Paper No. 6393.
§ Mr. Joel BarnettThe illustrative cases of growth and use of resources shown in table 1.1 of the Public Expenditure White Paper (Cmnd. 6393) do not imply specific estimates of the public sector borrowing requirement or financial deficit. These would require further assumptions about, for example, developments in costs and prices, consumer demand and saving and taxation policy.
§ Mrs. Castleasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he accepts the estimate of the EEC Commission that the United Kingdom public sector borrowing requirement during the current fiscal year will be £8.4 billion; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Joel BarnettI am not aware that the Commission has made such an estimate for the current financial year.
§ Mr. Radiceasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of the public sector borrowing requirement is currently financed from abroad.
§ Mr. Denzil DaviesI will let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.