Public Expenditure Programmes

HC Deb 20 May 1985 vol 79 cc338-9W

Mr. Body

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the percentage of gross domestic product that was spent on each of the 17 programmes of public expenditure for 1978–79 and for 1984–85.

Mr. Peter Rees

The figures are as follows:

	1978–79	*1984–85
Defence	4.3	5.2
Overseas aid and other overseas services	1.0	0.9
Agriculture, fisheries, food and forestry	0.5	0.6
Industry, energy, trade and employment	2.3	2.5
Arts and libraries	0.2	0.2
Transport	1.6	1.4
Housing†	2.1	1.0
Other environmental services	1.3	1.2
Law, order and protective services	1.2	1.6
Education and Science	4.5	4.2

	1978–79	*1984–85
Health and personal social services	4.3	4.8
Social security	9.5	11.6
Other public services	0.6	0.5
Common services	0.5	0.3
Scotland	2.2	2.2
Wales	0.9	0.8
Northern Ireland	1.3	1.3
* Based on estimated outturn published in the Financial Statement and Budget Report 1985–86.

† Net of receipts (eg from sales of council houses).

The gross domestic product excludes grants and loans which are included in the above public expenditure programmes.