§ Ms HarmanTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the reasons for the differences between the forecast public sector borrowing requirement of £50.1 billion for 1993–94 contained in table 1.2 of the March 1993 "Financial Statement and Budget Report" and the earlier forecast of £7 billion for the same financial year contained in the March 1991 "Financial Statement and Budget Report"; and if he will estimate how much of this difference was attributable to(a) discretionary changes to tax and other receipts, (b) discretionary expenditure changes, (c) changes in taxation and other receipts resulting from errors in forecasting the level of output, (d) changes in expenditure resulting from errors in forecasting the level of output, (e) errors in forecasting debt interest and (f) other forecasting errors.
§ Mr. Portillo[holding answer 4 November 1993]: The recession was longer and deeper than assumed in 1991. The March 1993 "Financial Statement and Budget Report" assumed non-oil GDP grew by over 5 per cent. less between 1991 and 1993 than assumed in 1991. Changes to 562W the Government's public expenditure plans can be found in the 1991 and 1992 autumn statements. Changes in taxes and national insurance contributions are set out in the 1992–93 and 1993–94 editions of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" and in the 1992 autumn statement.