§ Mr. Higginsasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will complete table 1:2 in Cmnd. 7841 by giving figures for the ratio of public expenditure to gross domestic product for each year covered by the Government's expenditure plans for 1980–81 to 1983–84.
§ Mr. BiffenI refer my right hon. Friend to the Financial Statement and Budget Report 1980–81. For 1980–81 the ratio is estimated at 42½ per cent.—see page 36 paragraph 3. The expenditure plans announced in Cmnd. 7841 and the GDP assumptions described in the medium-term financial strategy—see page 16 paragraph 5—imply a fall in the ratio to under 40 per cent. by 1983–84.