§ Mr. Neil Hamiltonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment, what was the total of local authority (a) current and (b) capital expenditure expressed in cost terms in each year since 1979.
§ Mr. WaldegraveTotal current and capital expenditure (on a public expenditure survey basis) by English local authorities expressed in cost terms as an index (1978–79 = 100) is as follows:
Current Capital 100 100 1978–79 (£11,826m) (£2,88 lm) 1979–80 102 108 1980–81 104 88 1981–82 106 58 1982–83 110 57 1983–84 (prov) 119 68 For 1978–79 to 1982–83 the index is calculated from the figures published in table 2.18 of Cmnd. 9143-II (revalued using the GDP deflator) while for 1983–84 provisional estimates from local authority returns are used. The capital figures are net of sales of fixed assets (mainly council house sales).
About half the increase in current expenditure over the period 1978–79 to 1983–84 is due to the increase in expenditure on housing benefit (arising out of the increased responsibilities of local authorities for this service). Current expenditure on RSG basis increased by 9 per cent. between 1978–79 and 1983–84 in cost terms.