§ 49. Mr. Stonehouseasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he proposes to take to co-ordinate and strengthen the supervision of the buying activities of Government Departments, to avoid overpayments such as that illustrated in the case of the Bloodhound missile project referred to in the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General.
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§ Mr. GreenThe machinery for coordinating the procurement policy of Government Departments was reviewed about twelve months ago, and improved arrangements instituted. On the question whether any further action is necessary in the light of the case of the Bloodhound missile project to which the hon. Member refers, I should prefer to await Sir John Lang's Report.
§ Mr. A. Lewisasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in HANSARD a table of figures giving the annual percentage rise or fall in the expenditure of each of the Government Departments since October 1951, taking that year as being equal to 100.
§ Mr. GreenFigures of expenditure by Government Departments on Votes over the previous 10 years are published annually in the Financial Secretary's Memorandum on the Estimates. I am afraid that to provide the hon. Member with all the additional information he asks for would entail a disproportionate amount of time and labour, but I am circulating in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table showing total expenditure on Votes year by year since 1951–52 and how each year compares with 1951–52.
Following is the table:
TOTAL EXPENDITURE FROM DEFENCE AND CIVIL VOTES (EXCLUDING THE POST OFFICE) Year Actual Expenditure Index (1951–52=100) £ million 1951–52 3,528.4 100 1952–53 3,670.2 104.0 1953–54 3,613.5 102.4 1954–55 3,664.7 103.9 1955–56 3,747.4 106.2 1956–57 4,046.3 114.7 1957–58 4,156.7 117.8 1958–59 4,301.5 121.9 1959–60 4,530.2 128.4 1960–61 4,986.1 141.3 1961–62 5,364.1 152.0 1962–63 5,674.0 160.8 1963–64 6,269.3 (a) 177.7 Note: (a) Estimates provision, including Supplementary Estimates presented to date.