HL Deb 30 April 1981 vol 419 cc1347-8WA
Lord Harris of High Cross

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will give, for each of the last 10 years, the percentage of GDP devoted to public spending, according to the following three definitions:

  1. (i) the old "Treasury" definition;
    2. 1348
  2. (ii) general Government expenditure;
  3. (iii) as defined in current public expenditure White Papers, i.e. the planning total.

The Minister of State, Treasury (Lord Cockfield)

The information requested is given in the table below for financial years from 1970–71 to 1979–80, the latest year available. Figures of the planning total are not available for the years before 1974–75.

PUBLIC SPENDING(1) AS PERCENTAGE OF GDP AT MARKET PRICES
Public expenditure as defined in Cmnd. 7841 General Government expenditure(2) Public expenditure(3) planning total
(i) (ii) (iii)
1970–71 … 37.9 41.2 N.A.
1971–72 … 37.9 41.3 N.A.
1972–73 … 38.7 41.6 N.A.
1973–74 … 40.5 43.4 N.A.
1974–75 … 45.6 48.7 46.4
1975–76 … 45.8 48.9 46.5
1976–77 … 43.6 46.4 44.5
1977–78 … 40.1 42.9 40.7
1978–79 … 41.3 44.2 41.6
1979–80 … 41.8 44.7 41.5

N.A. = Not available.

(1) Includes non-trading Government capital consumption so as to be comparable with GDP at market prices.

(2) Current and capital expenditure, plus net lending and "other financial transactions".

(3) Includes net payments of debt interest (as in Table 1.2 of Cmnd. 8175).

Source: Derived from national accounts.