HC Deb 31 January 1977 vol 925 cc49-50W
Mr. Forman

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the public sector deficit, in each year from 1977–78 to 1979–80, implied by the projections of expenditure in the Public Expenditure White Paper on the assumption that over the period (a) the share of public sector revenue in GDP is constant and (b) public sector revenues change in line with current prices.

Mr. Joel Barnett

The stated assumptions, together with the projections of expenditure in the Government's expenditure plans, do not provide an adequate basis for estimates of the public sector deficit.