§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Minister for the Civil Service what will be the spending of all Government departments and agencies on fees to outside consultants in the current year; and what it was in 1979–80 and each intervening year.
§ Mr. LuceI shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.
£ billion 1986–87 1987–88 Average of the years 1970–71 to 1974–75 (i) General government expenditure as a percentage of GDP 43¼ per cent. 42¾ per cent. 42½ per cent. (ii) General Government expenditure 164.4 173.7 29.6 (iii) GDP at market prices 380 407 69.0 (iv) Spending on unemployment benefit 1.6 1.6 10.2 (v) Spending on social security benefit 41.1 42.6 24.9 (vi) General Government gross debt interest 17.5 18 2.6 (vii) Nationalised industries investment in fixed assets3 3.8 3.3 4 (viii) Spending on the National Health Service 15.1 15.8 4 (ix) Spending on local government services 35.2 35.4 4 1 The average for the calendar years 1970 to 1974 from the 1973 national income and expenditure "Blue Book". 2 Calculated from national insurance fund accounts, 1970–71 to 1974–75. 3 For details of coverage see the footnotes to Table 5.2 of the 1986 public expenditure White paper (Cmnd. 9702). 4 Figures are not readily available on a comparable basis. Sources:
(i) and (ii): Table 2.1 of the 1986 autumn statement.
(iii) and (vi): 1986 autumn statement.
(iv), (v), (vii), (viii) and (ix): 1986–87 and 1987–88 figures are plans from the 1986 public expenditure White Paper (Cmnd. 9702). The 1987 white paper, to be published in the new year, will contain estimated outturn in 1986–87 and revised plans for 1987–88.