Public Expenditure

HC Deb 16 December 1977 vol 941 cc531-3W

Mr. Kilfedder

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which of the Northern Ireland public expenditure programmes for the period covered by the latest public expenditure White Paper Parts I and II have been reduced and by how much; and what are the anticipated consequences, in the effort to stimulate Northern Ireland industry, commerce and agriculture.

Mr. Dunn

The latest public expenditure White Paper (Cmnd. 6721) was published in January (Volume I) and February (Volume II) 1977 and it is hoped

rate of inflation, and the figures adjusted in real terms to the purchasing value of the £ sterling in 1973.

Mr. Carter

Actual payments made by the education and library boards and expenditure by the health and social services boards in the period 1st October 1973 to 31st March 1977, together with estimates for 1977–78 and 1978–79 are set out in the following table. The fourth and fifth columns of the table give an estimate of the changes in relevant prices between years and the last two columns the boards' actual and estimated payments or expenditure at 1973 price levels.

to publish the next White Paper early in the new year. This will provide the information which the hon. Member is seeking.

Mr. Kilfedder

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what changes were made to the Northern Ireland potential expenditure programme in order to release £1,000 million for industrial and associated purposes over the next five years.

Mr. Dunn

I assume that the hon. Gentleman is referring to the figure of £1,000 million for industrial and associated purposes which appeared in Press reports in August 1977. This figure was made up of £650 million for industrial development over the next five years plus £100 million grant to the Northern Ireland Electricity Service over the same period and a write-off of £250 million of NIES debt. The £250 million write-off does not count as public expenditure apart from the cost of the interest forgone, which will be added to the United Kingdom debt interest. In order to accommodate all of the remaining £750 million, some reallocations may be made each year within the Northern Ireland public expenditure programme. The details will be available in the annual public expenditure White Paper.