§ Mr. Houghtonasked the Secretary to the Treasury if he will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a statement showing the rise or fall in total public expenditure, incuding expenditure below the line, for each year since 1952–53.
§ Mr. BarberThe table below shows combined public authorities' expenditure for calendar years from 1952.
Year Combined public authorities' expenditure Increase (+) or Decrease (-) Percentage Change £ million £ million 1952 5,836 .. .. 1953 6,099 +263 + 4.5 1954 6,031 -68 +1.1 1955 6,241 + 210 + 3.5 1956 6,763 + 522 + 8.4 1957 6,977 + 214 + 3.2 1958 7,401 +424 + 6.1 1959 7,813 + 412 + 5.6 1960 8,353 + 540 + 6.9 1961 9,187 + 834 +10.0 1962 9,894 + 707 + 7.7 Note: This table covers current and capital expenditure on goods and services, debt interest, subsidies and grants by the Central Government (including the National Insurance Funds) and local authorities, but excludes loans and other transactions in financial assets. It does not, therefore, cover all below the line expenditure; to do so would involve double counting, e.g., of central Government loans to local authorities used to finance local authority expenditure.