§ Mr. Knoxasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what average annual rate of growth, in demand terms, in total public expenditure, total indirect public expenditure, and total public expenditure, is implied by the expenditure plans in Command Paper No. 7439.
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§ Mr. Joel BarnettI refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 6 February 1978 to the hon. Member for City of London and Westminster, South (Mr. Brooke)—[Vol. 943, c. 421–2]—when I pointed out the severely limited nature of conventional calculations of growth rates of public expenditure in demand terms. I am far from persuaded that any useful purpose would be served in continuing to attempt to provide such information.