§ 6. Mr. John Hallasked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs how far below the old National Plan target he now expects public spending to be in 1969–70 on a comparable basis to the figures given in Table 18.1 of the National Plan.
§ Mr. ShorePublic expenditure in 1969–70 on a definition consistent with the National Plan and at 1965 survey prices is estimated to be £13,390 million. This exceeds the estimate given in the National Plan by £95 million, and represents an annual average increase since 1964–65 of 4.4 per cent. compared wth 4¼ per cent. estimated in the National Plan.
§ 16. Mr. Donald Williamsasked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs which items of expenditure, as defined in Table 6.1 of "The Task Ahead" are projected on the basic case to increase by a greater percentage between 1964 and 1972 than the increase forecast for 1964 to 1970 in the National Plan and which by less.
Mr. Alan WilliamsCompared with the percentage increases in the National Plan between 1964 and 1970, "The Task Ahead "gives percentage increases between 1964 and 1972 which are greater for public services' investment and social and other public services' consumption, and smaller for defence and personal consumption, private industries and services'334W investment, nationalised industries' investment and housing investment.
§ 39. Mr. Grantasked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether, in view of the fact that decisions by the Government on the development of expenditure within their own control are to be taken in the light of the impact their expenditure will have on the economy, he will revise the table 5.2 in the new planning document to show the limits of the wedge for public spending in 1971–72.
Mr. Alan WilliamsNo. Firm decisions about public expenditure programmes after 1970–71 have not yet been taken. Projections of the use of resources up to 1972 have been made on the assumption that, for the basic case described in the assessment, public expenditure may grow broadly in line with output after 1970–71.