§ Mr. Scottasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will explain in more specific detail than given in paragraph 34 of chapter 5 in Cmnd. 8175 how the rate of decline between 1979–80 and 1981–82 in total public expenditure on the housing programme as shown in cost terms in table 4.12 of Cmnd. 8175 is greater than the rate of decline in the same programme over the same period as shown in volume terms in table 2.7 in Cmnd. 8175.
§ Mr. BrittanTable 4.12 of Cmnd. 8175 shows that the housing pragramme in cost terms declines by 33 per cent. between 1979–80 and 1981–82. Table 2.7 of Cmnd. 8175 shows that the housing programme in volume terms declines by 36 per cent. over the same period. The smaller decline in cost terms reflects the expectation that housing costs, particularly the costs of capital expenditure, will increase more than general inflation between 1979–80 and 1981–82.