§ Mr. Bruce-Gardyneasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the percentage increase in 70W public sector expenditures and in gross domestic product at factor cost, respectively, during the current year and in 1969, respectively.
§ Mr. DiamondThe figures for gross domestic product are not available. For public expenditure, excluding nationalised industries' capital expenditure and debt interest, I do not expect any marked variation in the increases at constant prices of 4.8 per cent. in 1968–69 and 0.9 per cent in 1969–70, which were set out in Cmnd. 3515.
§ Mr. Boyd-Carpenterasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the further rise of public expenditure, he now plans to take action to restrain it.
§ Mr. DiamondWhat my right hon. Friend said in the debate on the Third Reading of the Finance Bill on 4th July still applies—that total public expenditure this year is running very close to the figures given in the January White Paper (Cmnd. 3515).—[Vol. 767, c. 1791.]