§ Mr. Biffenasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated annual increase in public expenditure arising from recent wage increases for employees in central government, local government and the nationalised industries, respectively; and what effect these increases are expected to have on the estimated surplus for the current year.
§ Mr. DiamondFor central government, £50 million; for local authorities £120 million; increases in the pay of employees of nationalised industries are a charge on the industries' trading accounts and do not necessarily enter into public expenditure. The surplus shown in my right hon. Friend's 1969 Budget Report (HC 211) took account of estimated movements in pay and prices.