HC Deb 11 January 1978 vol 941 c752W
Mr. Alexander W. Lyon

asked the Chancellor the Exchequer what percentage of an average industrial worker's standard of living in education, food, housing, transport, clothing, social security, health, holidays, furniture, alcohol, tobacco, roads, libraries and the police was paid out of (a) his personal expenditure and (b) public expenditure.

Mr. Joel Barnett

Although public expenditure certainly contributes to the standard of living, it is not possible to quanitify its relative contribution in the case of a particular group of people and particular aspects of life. It must, however, approach 100 per cent. for most people in the cases of education, health, social security, roads and police protection.