§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if, for the purposes of calculating the specific comparability of the DTI and DETR (non local government) for the Welsh block for CSR, expenditure on nationalised industries was included in the calculation; if such decision represented a change in the practice applied in 1998–99; and what his assessment is of the impact of this decision on the Welsh block; [66187]
(2) pursuant to his answer of 11 January 1999, Official Report, columns 20–21, on departmental expenditure, what was the specific comparability determined by the 19W coverage of Welsh Office services for (i) 1997–98 and (ii) 1998–99 in each of (a) the DTI, (b) the DETR (non local government) and (c) the DFEE; [66185]
(3) what changes have been made in the method of calculating the comparability percentage relevant for calculating the Welsh block in each of (a) the DTI, (b) DETR (non local government) and (c) the DFEE for the year 1999–2000 as compared to the year 1998–99. [66186]
§ Mr. MilburnThe Government maintained the total allocations for the Welsh Office for 1997–98 and 1998–99 determined by the previous Government in the 1996 Public Expenditure Survey. The comparabilities applied within the 1996 Survey were the responsibility of the previous Government.