HC Deb 07 February 1979 vol 962 cc208-10W
Mr. Carmichael

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish the financial targets set for the nationalised industries since the publication of Command Paper No. 7131.

Mr. Joel Barnett

The financial targets which have been set since the publication in April 1978 of Cmnd. 7131 are as follows:

British Gas Corporation

6½ per cent. on turnover (after interest and tax) in 1979–80

Electricity Supply Industry (England and Wales) 10 per cent. on average net assets (before interest in 1979–80

BNOC

To make a profit (on a historic cost accounting basis) in 1979

PUBLIC EXPENDITURE PROGRAMMES AS PERCENTAGE OF GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT AT MARKET PRICES.
per cent.
1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78
Defence 4¾ 4¾ 5 4¾ 4½
Overseas aid and other overseas services ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ 1
Agriculture, fisheries, food and forestry ¾ 1½ 1¼ ¾ ½
Trade, industry, energy and employment 3 3¼ 2¾ 2½ 1¼
Government lending to nationalised industries ¼ ¾ 1 ¼ −¼
Roads and transport 2 2½ 2½ 2¼ 1¾
Housing 3½ 5 4 3¾ 3¼
Other environmental services 2¼ 2¼ 2½ 2¼ 2
Law, order and protective services 1¼ 1¼ 1½ 1½ 1¼
Education and libraries, science and arts 6 6½ 6¾ 6½ 5¾
Health and personal social services 4¾ 5½ 5¾ 5½ 5½
Social security 7½ 8 8¾ 9 9
Other public services ½ ½ ¾ ½ ½
Common services ½ ½ ¾ ½ ¾
Northern Ireland 1 1¼ 1¼ 1¼ 1¼
Total expenditure on programmes*† 39¼ 44½ 45 42¼ 38½
* Differs from total public expenditure ratios shown in Table 3 of Cmnd. 7439 by the exclusion of debt interest and non-trading capital consumption. Details of the latter at programme level are no, available.
† Figures may not sum to totals due to rounding.

Mr. John Moore

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each financial year from 1973–74 to 1977–78 the proportion of gross domestic product at outturn prices devoted to (a) central Government, (b) local authorities, (c) certain public corporations and (d) debt

PUBLIC EXPENDITURE* AS A PROPORTION OF GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT AT MARKET PRICES
per cent
1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78
Central Government … … 26½ 29½ 30½ 29 27
Local authorities … … 12½ 14½ 14 13 12
Certain public corporations … … 1 1 1 1 ½
Debt interest … … 1 ½ 1 1 1½
Total public expenditure† … … 40½ 46 46½ 44 40½
* Consistent with Table 3 of Cmnd. Paper No. 7439, i.e. based on the expenditure figures in Table 5.3 adjusted by the inclusion of non-trading capital consumption to make them comparable with gross domestic product.
† Figures may not sum to total due to rounding.

British Rail (Sealink)

5 per cent. on average net assets (before interest and tax) by 1982