§ Mr. Bruce-Gardyneasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the proportion of total national resources pre-empted by public expenditure in the financial years 1964–65, 1970–71 and 1971–72; and what is now his forecast of the proportion for the coming financial year.
§ Mr. NottPublic expenditure other than transfer payments as a proportion of gross national product at factor cost was 27.7 per cent. in 1964–65 and 31.1 per cent. in 1970–71. It is estimated that the corresponding figures for 1971–72—for which only provisional data are so far available—and 1972–73 will also be about 31 per cent., though fractionally less in the latter year than in the former.