HC Deb 30 April 1959 vol 604 cc153-4W
Mrs. Hill

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the total estimated expenditure on the social services, current and capital, in each of the years 1957–58, 1958–59 and 1959–60 by the Exchequer, the National Insurance Fund and the local authorities, respectively.

Mr. Simon

I regret that comprehensive figures for 1959–60 are not yet available. Figures for 1957–58 and 1958–59 are as follows:

TOTAL CURRENT AND CAPITAL EXPENDITURE ON SOCIAL SERVICES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
£ million
1957–58 1958–59 (provisional)
1. Central Government 1,697.3 1,912.7
2. National Insurance Fund 794.0 995.0
3. Local authorities 1,269.3 1,311.6
4. Total—consolidated 3,143.9 3,486.7

NOTES:—

1. The figures of expenditure in lines 1 to 3 include grants by one public authority to another—e.g. by the Central Government to local authorities. The figures in line 4 are the consolidated total expenditure by all public authorities, from which duplication has been eliminated.

2. The figures follow the definitions used in the table of expenditure on the social services, published each year in the May issue of the Monthly Digest of Statistics. Detailed figures for 1958–59 and earlier years will appear in the May, 1959 issue.

Miss Vickers

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give an estimate of the percentage of Central Government revenue devoted to current expenditure on the social services for each of the years 1957–58, 1958–59 and 1959–60.

Mr. Simon

I regret that figures for 1959–60 are not yet available; but in 1957–58 and 1958–59 the proportion of ordinary revenue devoted to current expenditure on the social services was about 31 per cent. and 34 per cent., respectively.

Mrs. Hill

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the estimated percentage of the national income to be spent by all public authorities on the social services in 1959–60; and what were the corresponding figures for 1951–52 and 1958–59.

Mr. Simon

I regret that estimates for 1959–60 are not yet available; but current and capital expenditure by all public authorities on the social services, expressed as a percentage of the national income, was 17¾ per cent. in 1951 and 18¾ per cent. in 1958. Estimates of the national income for financial years are not at present available, and the figures have therefore been given for calendar years.