HC Deb 08 December 1981 vol 14 cc384-96W
Mr. Cook

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will publish in the Official Report, for England, Scotland, Wales, Great Britain, Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom, expenditure which falls into the category of "comparable expenditure" for purposes of territorial allocation, providing the same programme detail as that provided in table 2.15 of Cmnd. 8175;

(2) if he will publish in the Official Report the latest available statistics on identifiable public expenditure in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales; and if he will indicate the earliest year to which this series can be extended back on a consistent basis.

Mr. Brittan

The following tables show figures of identifiable public expenditure according to main function in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The analysis is presented for the past five years, the only period for which data is available on a consistent basis. The figures are given in £ million, as a percentage of total United Kingdom identifiable expenditure, in pounds per head and the latter as a percentage of United Kingdom identifiable expenditure per head. The term "identifiable expenditure" refers to expenditure which can be identified from official records as having been incurred in a particular country. As shown in table 2, it has a wider coverage than expenditure within the responsibility of the Secretaries of State in the case of Scotland and Wales and in the case of Northern Ireland it has a slightly wider coverage than the Northern Ireland programme in the public expenditure survey. It excludes debt interest and expenditure on defence, overseas aid and other overseas services which is incurred on behalf of the United Kingdon as a whole. Total identifiable public expenditure represents about 80 per cent. of total public expenditure on programmes.

The extent to which expenditure can be identified may vary from year to year and between countries, particularly for services administered on an England and Wales basis. The figures in the tables also reflect other differences in administrative arrangements; for example current expenditure on sewerage by regional water authorities is treated as a trading expense in England and Wales and excluded from public expenditure; but in Scotland it is local authority rate fund expenditure and so is included in other environmental services as public expenditure.

Table 1—Identifiable public expenditure 1976–77
£ million As a percentage of United Kingdom identifiable expenditure
England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland United Kingdom England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland
Agriculture, Fisheries, Food and Forestry 464 148 56 110 778 60 19 7 14
Industry, Energy, Trade and Employment 1323 426 165 223 2137 62 20 8 10
Transport 1808 236 180 73 2297 79 10 8 3
Housing 3934 559 197 177 4867 81 11 4 4
Other Environmental Services 2035 311 150 75 2571 79 12 6 3
Law, Order and Protective Services 1543 177 76 172 1968 78 9 4 9
Education, Science, Arts and Libraries 6725 908 414 263 8310 81 11 5 3
Health and Personal Social Services 5938 794 358 241 7331 81 11 5 3
Social Security 9540 1105 649 346 11640 82 9 6 3
Other Public Services 598 137 50 20 805 74 17 6 2
Common Services 380 32 20 11 443 86 7 5 2
Government Lending to Nationalised Industries -148 -1 86 -1 -64 — — — —
Total Expenditure on Programme 34140 4832 2401 1710 43083 79 11 6 4
Nationalised Industries Markets and Overseas Borrowing 904 158 94 7 1163 78 14 8 1
Special Sales Assets — — — — — — — — —
Total Planning 35044 4990 2495 1717 44246 79 11 6 4
Table 1—Identifiable public expenditure 1976–77
£ per head as a percentage of United Kingdom identifiable expenditure
England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland United Kingdom England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland
Agriculture, Fisheries, Food and Forestry 10 28 20 72 14 71 200 143 514
Industry, Energy and Trade, Employment 28 82 60 145 38 74 216 158 382
Transport 39 45 65 47 41 95 110 159 115
Housing 85 107 71 115 87 98 123 82 132
Other Environmental Services 44 60 54 49 46 96 130 117 107
Law, Order and Protective Services 33 34 27 112 35 94 97 77 320
Education, Science, Arts and Libraries 145 174 150 171 149 97 117 101 115
Health and Personal Social Services 128 153 129 157 131 98 117 98 120
Social Security 206 212 234 225 208 99 102 112 108
Other Public Services 13 26 18 13 14 93 186 129 93
Common Services 8 6 7 7 8 100 75 88 88
Government Lending to Nationalised Industries -3 — 31 -1 -1 — — — —

Total Government net lending to nationalised industries is allocated to countries, industry by industry, pro rata to the industries' identifiable capital investment and the amounts attributed to each country fluctuate from year to year because of the variability both of the aggregate lending figures and of the incidence of expenditure on large capital projects in particular countries.

The estimates below use the terms and classifications of the public expenditure White Paper "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1981–82 to 1983–84", Cmnd. 8175, published in March 1981 although the VAT paid by local authorities and refunded to them has now been excluded. The figures for earlier years may therefore differ slightly from those published previously.

These are the only available figures comparing public expenditure on programmes in the four countries of the United Kingdom. Table 2 compares expenditure in Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland programmes with total identifiable expenditure in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland respectively.

£ per head as a percentage of United Kingdom identifiable expenditure
England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland United Kingdom England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland
Total Expenditure on Programme 736 928 867 1,112 771 965 120 112 144
Nationalised Industries Market and Overseas Borrowing 19 30 34 5 21 — — — —
Planning Total 756 959 901 1,116 792 95 121 114 141
Table 1—Identifiable Public Expenditure 1977–78.
£ million as a percentage of United Kingdom identifiable expenditure
England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland United Kingdom England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland
Agriculture, Fisheries, Food and Forestry 370 125 48 119 662 56 19 7 18
Industry, Energy, Trade, Employment 1,200 356 189 232 1,977 61 18 10 12
Transport 1,701 273 168 87 2,229 76 12 8 4
Housing 3,760 572 176 171 4,679 80 12 4 4
Other Environmental Services 2,148 312 162 82 2,704 79 12 6 3
Law, Order, Protective Services 1,665 187 82 180 2,114 79 9 4 9
Education, Science, Arts, Libraries 7,093 956 438 298 8,785 81 11 5 3
Health, Personal Social Services 6,540 883 402 271 8,096 81 11 5 3
Sccial Security 11,410 1,340 793 417 13,960 82 10 6 3
Other Public Services 622 140 50 21 833 75 17 6 3
Common Services 402 36 23 10 471 85 8 5 2
Government Lending to Nationalised Industries -17 40 140 -1 162 — — — —
Total Expenditure on Programme 36,894 5,220 2,671 1,887 46,672 79 11 6 4
Nationalised Industries Market and Expenses Borrowing 416 52 63 -3 528 — — — —
Special Sales Assets — — — — — — — — —
Total Planning 37,310 5,272 2,734 1,884 47,200 79 11 6 4
Table 1—Identifiable Public Expenditure 1977–78
£ per head as a percentage of United Kingdom indentifiable expenditure
England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland United Kingdom England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland
Agriculture, Fisheries, Food, Forestry 8 24 17 77 12 67 200 142 642
Industry, Energy, Trade, Employment 26 69 68 151 35 74 197 194 431
Transport 37 53 61 57 40 92 132 152 142
Housing 81 110 64 111 84 96 131 76 132
Other Environmental Services 46 60 59 53 48 96 125 123 110
Law Order, Protective Services 36 36 30 117 38 95 95 79 308
Education, Science, Arts, Libraries 153 184 158 194 157 97 117 101 123
Health, Personal Social Services 141 170 145 176 145 97 117 100 121
Social Security 246 258 286 271 250 98 103 114 108
Other Public Services 13 27 18 14 15 87 180 120 93
Common Services 9 7 8 7 8 112 87 100 87
Government Lending to Nationalised Industries — 8 51 -1 3 — — — —
Total Expenditure on Programme 796 1,005 965 1,228 836 95 120 115 147
Nationalised Industries Markets and Overseas Borrowing 9 10 23 -2 9 — — — —
Special Sales of Assets — — — — — — — — —
Total Planning 805 1,015 988 1,226 845 95 120 117 145
Table 1—Ientifiable public expenditure 1978–79
£ million as a percentage of United Kingdom identifiable expenditure
England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland United Kingdom England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland
Agriculture, Fisheries, Food and Forestry 387 106 38 125 656 59 16 6 19
Industry, Energy, Trade and Employment 1,527 386 225 282 2,420 63 16 9 12
Transport 1,875 327 190 101 2,493 75 13 8 4
Housing 3,901 610 184 187 4,882 80 12 4 4
Other Environmental Services 2,436 375 185 91 3,087 79 12 6 3
Law, Order and Protective Services 1,874 214 92 208 2,388 78 9 4 9
Education and Science, Arts and Libraries 7,832 1,073 494 340 9,739 80 11 5 3
Health and Personal Social Services 7,425 1,026 460 315 9,226 80 11 5 3
Social Security 13,562 1,547 933 501 16,543 82 9 6 3
Other Public Services 665 154 58 23 900 74 17 6 3
Common Services 406 39 24 16 485 84 8 5 3
Government lending to nationalised industries 187 14 58 — 259 72 5 — 22
Total Expendifure on Programme 42,078 5,871 2,941 2,189 53,078 79 11 6 4
Nationalised Industries, Market and Overseas Borrowing 319 70 28 -3 414 — — — —
Special Sales of Assets — — — — — — — — —
Total Planning 42,397 5,941 2,969 2,186 53,492 79 11 6 4
Table 1—Identifiable public expenditure 1978–79
£ per head as a percentage of United Kingdom identifiable expenditure
England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland United Kingdom England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland
Agriculture, Fisheries, Food and Forestry 8 21 14 81 12 67 167 117 675
Industry, Energy, Trade, Employment 33 75 81 183 43 77 174 188 426
Transport 40 63 69 66 45 89 140 153 147
Housing 84 118 66 121 87 97 136 76 139
Other environmental services 53 72 67 59 55 96 131 122 107
Law Order and Protective Services 40 41 33 135 43 93 95 77 314
Education, Science, Arts, Libraries 169 207 178 221 174 97 119 102 127
Health, Personal Social Services 160 198 166 205 165 97 120 101 124
Social Security 293 299 337 326 296 99 101 114 110
Other Public Services 14 30 21 15 16 87 187 131 94
Common Services 9 7 9 10 9 100 78 100 111
Goverment Lending to Nationalised Industries 4 3 21 — 5 — — — —
Total Expenditure on Programme 908 1,134 1,063 1,422 951 95 119 112 150
Nationalised Industries Market and Overseas Borrowing 7 14 10 -2 7 — — — —
Total Planning 915 1,147 1,073 1,420 958 96 120 112 148
Table 1—Identifiable public expenditure 1979–80
£ million as a percentage of United Kingdom identifiable expenditure
England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland United Kingdom England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland
Agriculture, Fisheries, Food and Forestry 564 161 65 106 896 63 18 7 12
Industry, Energy, Trade and Employment 1,646 385 220 307 2,558 64 15 9 12
Transport 2,261 376 223 114 2,974 76 13 7 4
Housing 4,879 780 224 215 6,098 80 13 4 4
Other Environmental Services 2,862 470 224 104 3,660 78 13 6 3
Law, Order and Protective Services 2,358 278 117 253 3,006 78 9 4 8
Education and Science, Arts and Libraries 9,045 1,213 561 390 11,209 81 11 5 3
£ million as a percentage of United Kingdom identifiable expenditure
England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland United Kingdom England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland
Health and Personal Social Services 8,897 1,232 542 383 11,054 81 11 5 3
Social Security 16,095 1,869 1,012 594 19,570 82 10 5 3
Other Public Services 781 176 74 28 1,059 74 17 7 3
Common Services 478 40 21 20 559 86 7 4 4
Government Lending to Nationalised Industries 1,060 217 266 -6 1,537 69 14 17 —
Total Expenditure on Programmes 50,926 7,197 3,549 2,508 64,180 79 11 6 4
Nationalised Industries Market and Overseas Borrowing 21 4 -99 13 -61 — — — —
Special Sales of Assets -44 — — — -44 100 — — —
Total Planning 50,903 7,201 3,450 2,521 64,075 79 11 5 4
Table 1—Identifiable public expenditure 1979–80
£ per head a=a percentage of United Kingdom identifiable expenditure
England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland United Kingdom England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland
Agriculture, Fisheries, Food and Forestry 12 31 23 69 16 75 194 144 431
Industry, Energy, Trade and Employment 35 75 79 199 46 76 163 172 433
Transport 489 73 80 74 53 91 138 151 140
Housing 105 151 81 139 109 96 138 74 127
Other Environmental Services 62 91 81 67 65 95 140 125 103
Law, Order and Protective Services 51 54 42 164 54 94 100 78 304
Education and Science, Arts and Libraries 195 235 202 253 201 97 117 100 126
Health and Personal Social Services 192 239 195 248 198 97 121 98 125
Social Security 347 362 365 385 350 99 103 104 110
Other Public Services 17 34 27 18 19 89 179 142 95
Common Services 10 8 8 13 10 100 80 80 130
Government Lending to Nationalised Industries 23 42 96 -4 28 — — — —
Total Expenditure on Programme 1,098 1,393 1,279 1,625 1,148 96 121 111 142
Nationalised Industries Market and Overseas Borrowing — 1 -36 8 -1 — — — —
Special Sales of Assets -1 — — — -1 — — — —
Total Planning 1,097 1,394 1,243 1,634 1,147 96 121 108 142
Table 1—Identifiable public expenditure 1980–81
£ million as a percentage of United Kingdom identifiable expend
England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland United Kingdom England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland
Agriculture, Fisheries, Food, Forestry 623 194 79 116 1,012 62 19 8 11
Industry, Energy, Trade and Employment 2,410 522 354 366 3,652 66 14 10 10
Transport 2,611 455 269 122 3,457 76 13 8 4
Housing 4,950 801 225 245 6,221 80 13 4 4
Other Environmental Services 3,286 535 251 122 4,194 78 13 6 3
Law, Order and Protective Services 2,939 344 145 316 3,743 79 9 4 8
Education and Science, Arts and Libraries 10,844 1,512 687 460 13,503 80 11 5 3
Health and Personal Social Services 11,425 1,550 699 485 14,159 81 11 5 3
Social Security 19,673 2,087 1,213 716 23,688 83 9 5 3
Other Public Services 946 216 87 35 1,284 74 17 7 3
Common Services 514 57 24 28 623 83 9 4 4
Government Lending to Nationalised Industries 2,020 466 851 — 3,337 61 14 26 —
Total Expenditure on Programme 62,240 8,739 4,884 3,011 78,873 79 11 6 4
Nationalised Industries Market and Overseas Borrowing -220 -57 -79 -5 -361 61 16 22 1
Special Sales of Assets -85 -3 — — -88 97 3 — —
Total Planning 61,935 8,679 4,805 3,006 78,424 79 11 6 4
Table 1—Identifiable Public Expenditure 1980–81
£ per head as a percentage of United Kingdom indentifiable expenditure
England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland United Kingdom England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland
Agriculture, Fisheries, Food and Forestry 13 38 28 75 18 12 211 156 417
Industry, Energy, Trade and Employment 52 101 127 237 65 80 155 195 365
Transport 56 88 97 79 62 90 142 156 127
Housing 107 155 81 158 111 96 140 73 142
Other Environmental Services 71 104 90 79 75 95 139 120 105
Law, Order and Protective Services 63 67 52 204 67 94 100 78 304
Education, Science, Arts and Libraries 223 293 247 297 241 97 122 102 123
Health and Personal Social Services 246 301 252 314 253 97 119 100 124
Social Security 423 405 437 463 423 100 96 103 109
Other Public Services 20 42 31 23 23 87 183 135 100
Common Services 11 11 9 18 11 100 100 82 164
Government Lending to Nationalised Industries 43 90 306 — 60 — — — —
Total Expenditure on Programme 1,339 1,696 1,759 1,946 1,410 95 121 125 138
Nationalised Industries, Markets and Overseas Borrowing -5 -11 -28 -3 -6 — — — —
Special Sales of Assets -2 -1 — — -2 — — — —
Total Planning 1,333 1,684 1,730 1,943 1,402 95 120 123 139
Table 2 Planning total analysed by territorial area 1980–81
£ million-outturn price
Scotland Wales Northern Ireland Not Identified United Kingdom
England Programme 15 Other Total Programme 16 Other Total Programme 17 Other Total
Defence — — — — — — — — — — 11,336 11,336
Overseas Aid and Other Overseas Services — — — — — — — — — — 1,715 1,715
Agriculture, Fisheries, Food and Forestry 623 156 38 194 60 19 79 56 60 116 638 1,650
Industry, Energy, Trade and Employment 2,410 145 377 522 84 270 354 362 4 366 950 4,602
Transport 2,611 449 6 455 233 36 269 122 — 122 667 4,124
Housing 4,950 801 — 801 225 — 225 245 — 245 1 6,222
Other Environmental Services 3,286 532 3 535 249 2 251 122 — 122 46 4,240
Law, Order and Protective Services 2,939 302 42 344 — 145 145 310 6 316 87 3,831
Education, Science, Arts and Libraries 10,844 1,313 199 1,512 567 120 687 459 1 460 117 13,620
Health and Personal Social Services 11,425 1,550 — 1,550 699 — 699 485 — 485 — 14,159
Social Security 19,673 — 2,087 2,087 — 1,213 1,213 706 10 716 124 23,812
Other Public Services 946 102 114 216 29 58 87 18 17 35 80 1,364
Common Services 514 — 57 57 — 24 24 22 6 28 642 1,265
Government Lending to Nationalised Industries 2,020 — 466 466 — 851 851 — — — -1,167 2,170
Total Expenditure on Programmes 62,240 5,350 3,389 8,739 2,147 2,737 4,884 2,907 104 3,011 15,236 94,110
Nationalised Industries Market and Overseas Borrowing -220 — -57 -57 — -79 -79 — -5 -5 -24 -385
Special Sales of Assets -85 — -3 -3 — — — — — — -274 -362
Planning Total 61,935 5,350 3,329 8,679 2,147 2,658 4,805 2,907 99 3,006 14,938 93,663