§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total local government expenditure in real terms for each year from 1975 onwards, taking 1975 as the base year at 100.
§ Mr. Peter Rees[pursuant to his reply, 16 January 1984, c. 7]: Using figures on the basis that appears in the public expenditure White Paper taking 1974–75 as the base year and deflating by the GDP cost deflator, the figures are as follows:
Total (excluding debt interest and other adjustments) Current expenditure Capital expenditure 1974–75 100 100 100 1975–76 96 104.8 80.4 1976–77 90 103.7 65.7 1977–78 81 98.9 50.2 1978–79 81 101.4 45.6 1979–80 83 102.8 48.5 1980–81 82 105.5 39.9 1981–82 79 108.4 27.8 1982–83 81 112.2 26.4 The capital figures overstate the reduction in new capital investment, particularly in recent years, because they are net of local authorities' sales of council houses and surplus assets.