§ Mr. Ray Powellasked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total amount of Government expenditure in Wales for the 10 most recent financial years.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsDetailed figures of identifiable public expenditure in Wales are published annually in the "Digest of Welsh Statistics". Changes in definition mean that the totals are not comparable over a period of 10 years. Comparable revised data for the period since 1976–77 is as follows:
Total Identifiable Public Expenditure in Wales* Financial year £ million (outturn prices) 1976–77 2,398 1977–78 2,674 1978–79 2,941 1979–80 3,551 1980–81 n.a.† * This table uses the definitions and classifications of the public expenditure White Paper, in which the Government presents its expenditure plans for the coming year. The figures are from the records of the Public Expenditure Survey. In the 1977 White Paper "The Government's Expenditure Plans" Cmnd. 6721, a new presentation of public expenditure was used. Under the new presentation, the public expenditure totals include the amount of Government net lending (including issues of Public Dividend Capital) and a capital grant to the nationalised industries in place of capital expenditure by those bodies. Further information is available in the 1981 White Paper "The Government's expenditure Plans 1981–82 to 1983–84" Cmnd. 8175. † Not available—figures will be published shortly.