§ Mr. David Howellasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has made any estimates of the change in the share of profits in national income desired or required by the three growth cases of the Public Expenditure White Paper.
§ Mr. Joel BarnettThe profits projections in the economic assessment underlying table 1.1 of Cmnd. 6393 are among the most uncertain elements of the projections, since in a formal sense profits are determined as a residual. No useful purpose would be served by publishing estimates which are subject to such a wide margin of error, in either direction.
§ Mr. Nottasked the Chancellor Of the Exchequer whether, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Blaby (Mr. Lawson) in columns 82–3 of the Official Report for 23rd February, it is possible, using the Treasury's forecasting model, to carry out projections for the growth and use of resources, assuming GDP growth rates other than those in Table 1.1 of Command Paper No. 6393.
§ Mr. Joel BarnettI regret that projections assuming GDP growth rates other than those in Table 1.1 cannot be764W announced (1) in March 1975, (2) in April 1975 and (3) in February 1976;
(2) what was the planned expenditure on defence over the period 1974–75 to 1983–84, at 1975 survey prices (1) in March 1974, (2) after the cuts announced in March 1975, (3) after the cuts announced in April 1975, and (4) after the cuts announced in February 1976.
§ Mr. MasonThe information at 1975 survey prices is:
provided without a disproportionate expenditure of time and resources.