HC Deb 27 March 1981 vol 1 cc443-4W
Mr. Thornton

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will give figures separately for each year for 1974–75 up to and including 1980–81 showing capital expenditure by (a) central Government and (b) local authorities, both in England and Wales, first in terms of the figures published in the public expenditure White Paper published immediately before the year in question began, and secondly the outturn figure of expenditure for each year with the necessary price adjustment to make it comparable with the target figure; and if he will also show the percentage excess or shortfall revealed in volume terms by each of these figures;

(2) if he will give figures separately for each year for 1974–75 up to and including 1980–81 showing current expenditure by (a) central Government and (b) local authorities, both in England and Wales, first in terms of the figures published in the public expenditure White Paper published immediately before the year in question began, and secondly the outturn figure of expenditure far each year with the necessary price adjustment to make it comparable with the target figure; and if he will also show the percentage excess of shortfall revealed in volume terms by each of these figures.

Mr. Brittan

An analysis of outturn compared with planned public expenditure in 1979–80 was published as Treasury working paper No. 16. A copy of this paper has been placed in the Library of the House. I refer my hon. Friend to table 3 on page 18 of the paper, which shows percentage excess or shortfall in volume terms by economic category and spending authority for each of the years 1972–73 to 1979–80. Separate analyses for England and for Wales are not available because many services are planned for the United Kingdom as a whole. An analysis of outturn compared with planned expenditure in 1979–80 is given on page 13 for programme 16, which includes all expenditure within the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Wales. Such an analysis is not available for earlier years. Figures for 1980–81 are not available.