§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North of 13 February, Official Report, column 71, if he will compare current and capital Government expenditure in 1979–80, 1982–83 and 1983–84, showing receipts from the sale of council houses and other assets separately, and also showing the percentage change at constant prices.
§ Mr. Peter ReesThe figures for local authority current and capital expenditure in the United Kingdom, on the basis of Cmnd. 9143, are as follows:
£ billion Current Net capital Receipts from council house sales Receipts from other asset sales 1979–80 17.1 4.5 0.5 0.2 1982–83 25.6 3.6 2.0 0.5 1983–84 28.9 3.9 1.5 0.5 Change in cost terms (per cent.) 1979–80 to 1982–83 +7½ -42 +188 +80 1982–83 to 1983–84 +7 +2¾ -29 -5 These figures are affected by the transfer of responsibility for housing benefit from central to local government. Without that transfer, current expenditure would have been about £24.9 billion in 1982–83 and £27.1 billion in 1983–84, giving cost terms increases of about 4.75 per cent. between 1979–80 and 1982–83 and 0.25 per cent. between 1982–83 and 1983–84.