Gross Domestic Fixed Capital

HC Deb 31 January 1989 vol 146 cc140-1W

Mr. Dewar

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what are the present levels of gross domestic fixed capital formation in Scotland; and what is the percentage change over(a) the last year and (b) 1978–79, in cash and real terms;

(2) what is the gross domestic fixed capital formation in Scotland as a percentage of gross domestic product (E) for each year since 1959.

Mr. Rifkind

Estimates of gross domestic fixed capital formation (GDFCF) for Scotland, prepared by the Central Statistical Office, are available only for agriculture, forestry and fishing, energy and water supply, manufacturing, transport and communications (excluding shipping and air transport), together with dwellings. In 1986 these sectors accounted for 57 per cent. of United Kingdom GDFCF (excluding the continental shelf region).

Changes between 1978 and 1986 and between 1985 and 1986, are set out in Table 1A. Owing to methodological and classification changes, there is slight discontinuity in the series in 1980.

Table 1B gives GDFCF in Scotland for those industries for which it is available as a percentage of Scottish gross domestic product (GDP) at factor cost for a broadly equivalent group of industries. In addition, alternative estimates including investment in dwellings are given as a percentage of total GDP. The GDP estimates are based on income GDP(I) at factor cost; there are no expenditure-based estimates (GDP(E)) for Scotland.

Table 1A
GDFCF in certain industries1 and dwellings
	1978–1986 percentage change	1985–1986 percentage change
Current prices	+49	-1
Consant 1985 Prices2	-22	-6

	GDFCF in certain industries1 as a percentage of GDP in equivalent industries3	GDFCF in certain industries1 and dwellings as a percentage of total GDP4 at factor cost
	Old basis	New basis	Old basis	New basis
1981	—	23.3	—	14.1
1982	—	20.6	—	13.0
1983	—	18.9	—	12.0
1984	—	20.2	—	12.6
1985	—	20.9	—	12.6
1986	—	18.3	—	11.4
1 Agriculture, forestry and fishing; energy and water supply; manufacturing; transport and communication (excluding shipping and air transport)
2 Using United Kingdom deflators for the relevant sectors and dwellings—such deflators are likely to be particularly unreliable for dwellings.
3 GDP(l) for the industries listed at footnote 1 and also including shipping and air transport. The difference in the basis of comparison leads to a likely slight understatement of the GDFCF share of about 0.3 percentage points.
4 GDP for the whole economy, including industries for which no GDFCF estimates are available.