§ 38. Mr. John Browneasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of total Government spending was subject to a form of index-linking in 1970–71 and 1980–81; and what is his estimate of the figure for 1981–82.
§ Mr. BrittanThe statutory linking of certain items of public expenditure was introduced during the 1970's. The principal items linked by statute to price indices in 1980–81 and 1981–82 were public sector pensions and social security benefits. Together these accounted for about a fifth of public expenditure in both 1980–81 and 1981–82.