§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of gross domestic product at market prices was allocated to expenditure on social security in 1983–84; and what he expects the outturn to be for 1984–85.
§ Mr. Peter ReesThe recently published public expenditure White Paper (Cmnd. 9428) showed the latest estimated outturn expenditure on social security in the United Kingdom for 1983–84 as £36,301 million and an expected outturn for 1984–85 of £39,145 million. Social security benefit payments—which account for some 96 per cent. of all social security expenditure — are considered to be transfer payments and, therefore, do not form part of gross domestic product. However, if the figures are expressed as a percentage of GDP, they would amount to 11.9 per cent. and 12.0 per cent. respectively.