HC Deb 18 December 1979 vol 976 cc130-1W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will circulate in the Official Report a table showing for each quarter since 1 January 1973 the percentage increase in the money supply, domestic credit expansion, wholesale prices, retain prices, gross domestic product and the real money supply.

Mr. Lawson

The figures for the money supply (£M3) were included in my answer to the hon. Member on 14 November.—[Vol. 973, c. 623–4.] As I explained in my answer to the hon. Member on 11 December—[Vol. 975, c. 567–8]—there are no stock figures for domestic credit expansion from which percentage increases can be calculated. Quarterly percentage increases in wholesale and retail prices—since the first quarter of 1975—in gross domestic product—since the first quarter of 1974—may be calculated from data given in Economic Trends, the latest issue of which was for November 1979. Percentage increases for earlier quarters may be calculated from data given in Economic Trends,annual supplement 1979. Percentage increases in the real money supply—interpreted as£M3 deflated by the implied deflator for total domestic expenditure—are shown below.

PERCENTAGE INCREASE IN REAL MONEY SUPPLY* (not seasonally adjusted)
1973
1 1.5
2 3.4
3 2.8
4 3.4
1974
1 -4.3
2 -3.7
3 -3.4
4 -0.1
1975
1 -7.1
2 -2.4
3 -1.4
4 -1.3
1976
1 -3.7
2 0.7
3 0.7
4 -1.5
1977
1 -5.8
2 1.3
3 0.7
4 3.4
1978
1 -0.1
2 1.8
3 0.6
4 2.9
1979
1 -3.9
0.6
*£M3 deflated by the implied deflator for total domestic expenditure (mid-1975=100)