§ Mr. SillarsTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list those years in the period 1974 to 1989 when public expenditure was reduced in real terms; and for each of those years if he will indicate the main services where reductions took place.
§ Mr. Norman LamontGeneral Government expenditure (excluding privatisation proceeds) fell in real terms in 1975–76, 1976–77, 1977–78, 1987–88 and 1988–89 as shown in table 21.2.1 of the 1990 public expenditure White Paper (Cm 1021). The reductions in the mid-1970s covered a broad range of services. The areas in which there were falls in the real level of expenditure in 1987–88 and 1988–89 are shown in table 21.2.11 of Cm 1021, which gives an analysis of general Government expenditure by function in real terms for 1978–79 to 1989–90.