HC Deb 15 November 1988 vol 140 cc549-50W
Mr. Denzil Davies

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total amount, in cash terms, of his Department's general expenditure in 1987–88.

Mr. Peter Walker

In cash, outturn expenditure within my responsibility was £3,331 million in 1987–88 and outturn is currently expected to be £3,600 million in 1988–89, equivalent to a cash increase between the years of 8.1 per cent.

Planned expenditure provision for 1987–88 was £3,192 million and for 1988–89 it was £3,451 million, an increase of 8.1 per cent. Planned expenditure for 1989–90 is £3,790 million—9.8 per cent. higher than 1988–89 and 18.7 per cent. higher than 1987–88 on a like-for-like basis.

Outturn expenditure exceeded planned expenditure in both 1987–88 and 1988–89, as it has done in every year since 1979.

Mr. Denzil Davies

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the planned total sum of his Department's general expenditure as adjusted to 1987–88 price levels by excluding the effect of general inflation as measured by the gross domestic product deflation at market prices for the years 1988–89 and 1989–90.

Mr. Peter Walker

At 1987–88 price levels, the total of planned expenditure within my responsibility for 1988–89 was £3,248 million. The comparable figure for 1989–90 is £3,397 million. These sums have been derived by the application of the GDP deflators at market prices. They show that, in real terms, planned expenditure has increased by 4.6 per cent. between the two years. This is the equivalent of a cash increase of 9.8 per cent.