Public Expenditure

HC Deb 13 December 1978 vol 960 c246W

Mr. Knox

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update Table 7 of the Government's Expenditure Plans 1978–79 to 1981–82, Command Paper No. 7049–I, to include 1977–78 and 1978–79, giving estimated figures where final figures are not yet available.

Mr. Joel Barnett:

The ratios for years up to 1977–78 are shown in the table below. Estimates for 1978–79 depend on figures currently being prepared for the next public expenditure White Paper.

RATIOS OF PUBLIC EXPENDITURE TO GDP AT MARKET PRICES*
			Total public expenditure	Per cent General government on goods and services
1971–72	…	…	38	22 ½
1972–73	…	…	39	23
1973–74	…	…	40 ½	24 ½
1974–75	…	…	46	26
1975–76	…	…	46 ½	27
1976–77	…	…	44	26
1977–78	…	…	40 ½	24

^*These estimates are based on the public expenditure figures published in "Financial, Statistics ", but including government non-trading capital consumption.