§ Mr. Harold Walkerasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total financial allocation to the Manpower Services Commission for the current year and each of the next two years, including expenditure on special measures; and how this compares at constant prices with 1978.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonThe financial provision for the Manpower Services Commission, including those functions it performs for the Department on an agency basis, is, in 1981–82, subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimates, £1.87 million (cash) compared with £640 million (cash) in 1978–79. Figures relating to future years will be available following my right hon. Friend's approval of the MSC's 1982–86 corporation plan.
There is no unique way of expressing cash expenditure in constant prices. One way is to deflate the expenditure for the current year by the change in the gross domestic product deflator at market prices since 1978–79, thus removing the general effect of inflation. On this basis expenditure has -increased by 20 per cent since 1978–79.