§ 71. Mr. ChapmanTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the cost to public funds in servicing the national debt in 1988–89; and what have been the comparable figures for the amount and percentage of total public expenditure over the past 10 years.
§ Mr. LilleyThe table below shows general Government gross debt interest payments for the year 1978–79 to 1991–92.
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General Government Gross Debt Interest Payments £ billion Percentage of General Government Expenditure 1978–79 7.4 9.9 1979–80 9.4 10.5 1980–81 11.4 10.5 1981–82 13.3 11.0 1982–83 13.9 10.5 1983–84 14.5 10.4 1984–85 16.1 10.7 1985–86 17.7 11.2 1986–87 17.6 10.7 1987–88 17.5 10.2 1988–891 17.7 9.75 1989–901 17.0 8.75
£ billion Percentage of General Government Expenditure 1990–911 16.0 8 1991–921 15.5 7.75 1 Autumn Statement 1988 projections.