§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Wales what will be the public spending per head in Wales from 1975–76 to 1979–80, taking 100 as the index for all Great Britain, on (a) agriculture, fisheries and forestry, (b) trade, industry and employment, (c) nationalised industries (capital expenditure), (d) road transport, (e) housing, (f) other environmental services, (g) law and order, (h) education, libraries, science and arts, (i) health and personal social services and (j) social security.
§ Mr. John MorrisI pointed out in reply to the hon. Member for Carmarthen (Mr. Evans)—[Vol. 912, c. 759–60]—the difficulties involved in making geographical comparisons of public expenditure. The information requested is readily available only for those programmes which fall wholly within my responsibility. The figures are based on data published in Cmnd. 6393 and on mid-1975 population estimates:
expenditure, including loan charges and revenue contributions to capital expenditure, in 1975–76 of each Welsh local authority, indicating in each case by what amount the local authority overspent or underspent in relation to spending levels provided for in the relevant rate support grant settlement.
§ Mr. Guy BarnettI have been asked to reply.
I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him today.