§ 37. Mr. Knoxasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether there have been any further signs that the economy is recovering from the recession.
§ Mr. Peter ReesEconomic growth is continuing, and is broadly based. In the last three quarters of 1983 GDP was about 3 per cent. higher than in the same period in 1982 and was running above its average level in 1979. Consumer's expenditure grew by about 4 per cent. between 1982 and 1983. Between the first and second halves of last year industrial investment is estimated to have grown by 4 per cent. In the three months to January total export volume, excluding erratic items, was 8 per cent. above the previous three months. And the total number of people in jobs is rising again — up an estimated 85,000 between March and September last year.