HL Deb 26 June 1978 vol 394 cc129-30WA
Lord HYLTON

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will publish statistics for the last five years for which figures are available, showing:

  1. (a) the total expenditure in Scotland by:
    1. (i) central Government, including net payments to nationalised industries and public corporations;
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    2. (ii) local Government, including loan interest but excluding capital expenditure financed by borrowing;
  2. (b) Scotland's share of indivisible central Government current expenditure, e.g. defence, foreign affairs, Parliament, et cetera, calculated in the proportion of Scottish population to United Kingdom population; and
  3. (c) total revenue arising from Scotland and flowing into the United Kingdom Exchequer plus the product of rates in Scotland.

The PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY of STATE, DEPARTMENT of the ENVIRONMENT (Baroness Birk)

I regret that information relating to the balance between total Government expenditure and revenue it Scotland is not readily available. National expenditure policies are determined on the basis of needs, and national public expenditure allocations reflect the Government's commitment to certain economic and social priorities. Similarly, the level and incidence of taxation are determined by fiscal, not territorial, considerations. In view of this, the time and expense involved in preparing and publishing the revenue and expenditure estimates requested cannot be justified.

House adjourned at three minutes before nine o'clock.