§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list, on an annual basis, all cuts in public expenditure in excess of £5 million which he has made since May 1979 at both current and 1982 prices, indicating in each case the size of the cut as a percentage of the departmental budget for that year.
§ Mr. BrittanI have been asked to reply.
I refer the hon. Member to the relevant public expenditure White Papers (Cmnd. 7746, 7841, 8175 and 8494) and to the autumn statement laid before the House 40W on 8 November last. I regret that a comprehensive analysis in the form requested could be provided only with a disproportionate expenditure of time and effort.