§ Mr. Sproatasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of Government spending was accounted for by spending on all social security payments plus unemployment benefit in 1945 and each year following, until 1975; and what estimate he has made of the percentage in 1976–77.
§ Mr. Joel BarnettThe available figures are given in the table below. The estimate for 1976–77 is derived from Cmnd. 6393 and from the "Financial Statement and Budget Report, 1976–77".
Social security expenditure as a percentage of central Government expenditure 1950 16.6 1951 14.4 1952 15.6 1953 16.7 1954 16.3 1955 17.2 1956 17.9 1957 17.3 1958 20.1 1959 20.5 1960 19.9 1961 20.3 1962 20.5 1963 22.4 1964 21.4 1965 21.8 1966 21.2 1967 20.9 1968 21.5 1969 22.4 1970 22.4 1971 21.8 1972 22.8 1973 21.8 1974 20.9 1975 20.2 1976–77, estimate 20.7