§ Mr. KynochTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about the provisions he has made in his public expenditure plans for Government-supported expenditure and aggregate external finance in 1995–96 and 1996–97.
§ Mr. LangTo assist local authorities in their financial planning, I have decided this year to publish planned figures for both Government supported expenditure (GSE) and aggregate external finance (AEF) for the two forward years of the Public Expenditure Survey. The figures for all three years of the survey are as follows:
1994–95 £ million 1995–96 £ million 1996–97 £ million GSE 6,013.6 6,175.4 6,321.1 AEF 5,272.0 5,378.1 5,494.9 The above amounts of GSE and AEF are inclusive of the following sums which relate to the transfer of resources to local authorities in respect of care in the community and the independent living fund:
1994–95 £ million 1995–96 £ million 1996–97 £ million 115.1 172.1 211.6 The underlying percentage increases in GSE and AEF, excluding the above amounts in respect of care in the community and the independent living fund, over the same three years are as follows:
1994–95 Per cent. 1995–96 Per cent. 1996–97 Per cent. GSE 2.25 1.79 1.77 AEF 0.97 0.97 1.48 At those levels of GSE and AEF, the average band D council tax need not increase in 1995–96 by more than the forecast inflation rate plus £10, and in 1996–97 by more than the forecast inflation rate alone.
Pending parliamentary approval to changes in organisation, GSE for 1996–97, conventionally, includes provision for local authorities' expenditure on domestic sewerage.