HC Deb 23 March 1995 vol 257 cc339-40W
Mr. Rowe

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of the gross domestic product has been spent on social security in each year since 1974. [15168]

Mr. Hague

The information is in the table:

Total benefit expenditure as a percentage of GDP 1974–75 to 1994–95 (cash prices)
Total benefit expenditure (£ billion) Money GDP (£ billion) Benefit expenditure as percentage of GDP
1974–75 6.6 89.4 7.4
1975–76 8.9 111.2 8.0
1976–77 10.6 130.0 8.2
1977–78 12.8 151.3 8.5
1978–79 15.9 173.7 9.2
1979–80 18.8 208.6 9.0
1980–81 22.7 237.7 9.6
1981–82 27.7 261.0 10.6
1982–83 31.6 285.8 11.1
1983–84 35.3 310.0 11.4
1984–85 38.3 332.1 11.5
1985–86 41.8 364.9 11.5
1986–87 44.9 392.7 11.4
1987–88 46.7 434.8 10.7
1988–89 47.3 484.1 9.8
1989–90 50.2 525.8 9.6
1990–91 56.5 556.8 10.2
1991–92 66.1 580.8 11.4
1992–93 75.2 604.8 12.4
1993–94 82.4 639.0 12.9
1994–95 185.2 678.0 12.6
1 Estimated outturn.

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