§ Mr. Lawsonasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what total public expenditure has represented (a) as a percentage of GDP and (b) as a percentage of GNP for each year from 1939 to 1975, inclusive, the figures for 1975 being the best available estimates to date.
§ Mr. Joel BarnettThe following table shows the information requested for the period 1946–1974. Figures are not available on which to base estimates for earlier years nor for 1975.
PUBLIC EXPENDITURE AS A PROPORTION OF GDP AND GNP AT FACTOR COST (PER CENT.) GDP GNP 1946 52.0 51.6 1947 46.3 45.6 1948 44.3 43.3 1949 43.9 43.0 1950 42.8 41.3 1951 46.1 44.8 1952 46.5 45.7 1953 44.9 44.2 1954 42.1 41.4 1955 41.8 41.3 1956 41.0 40.5 1957 40.8 40.3 1958 40.9 40.3 1959 41.2 40.7 1960 41.5 41.1 1961 42.6 42.1 1962 43.5 43.0 1963 43.4 42.7 1964 43.6 43.0 1965 45.3 44.6 1966 46.2 45.7 1967 50.1 49.6 1968 51.0 50.6 1969 50.3 49.6 1970 50.6 49.9 1971 50.0 49.4 1972 50.1 49.6 1973 51.1 50.0 1974 57.3 56.2
§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing total public expenditure as a percentage of national disposable income in 1960, 1965, 1970, 1974 and 1975.
§ Mr. Joel BarnettI would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I454W gave today to the hon. Member for Blaby (Mr. Lawson) showing the ratio of public expenditure to gross national product at factor cost. At current prices the only difference between the latter and national disposable income (NDI) is that NDI is measured after deducting net current transfers abroad. Since public expenditure includes transfers abroad comparison with NDI is not valid.