HC Deb 19 December 1988 vol 144 cc116-7W
18. Mr. Chapman

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his latest estimate of the amount and proportion of total public expenditure which will be allocated to social security in 1988–89; and what were the comparable figures for five and 10 years before, respectively.

Mr. Scott

In 1978–79, the last year of the Labour Government, expenditure on the social security programme was £16,400 million, just about one quarter of all planned public spending; by 1983–84 spending had reached £35,200 million, about 30 per cent. of the total. The latest estimate is that £47,600 million will be spent on social security in 1988–89, 31 per cent. of the estimated outturn for total planned expenditure.

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