HC Deb 25 January 1979 vol 961 cc210-1W
Mr. Gwynfor Evans

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much per head of the population was expended annually by the Government on goods and services, including direct contracts, in England and Wales, respectively.

Mr. Joel Barnett

Identifiable public expenditure on goods and services in 1977–78, the latest year for which figures are available, was £476 per head in England and £486 per head in Wales. The figures, which are provisional estimates at current prices, include expenditure on staff costs, procurement and direct capital expenditure on physical assets. The term "identifiable expenditure" was explained in an answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Gravesend (Mr. Ovenden) on 17 January 1979—[Vol. 960, cols. 781–793.] Public expenditure includes expenditure by central Government, local authorities and certain public corporations.

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