§ Mr. Denzil DaviesTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the ratio, expressed as a percentage of(a) the actual Government deficit and (b) Government debt to the gross domestic product at then market prices in each year since 1970.
§ Mr. Norman Lamont[holding answer 13 January 1992]:There are a number of different ways of measuring the Government deficit and Government debt. 545W Presentation of the public sector finances in the United Kingdom is generally in terms of the public sector borrowing requirement (PSBR) and net public sector debt.
PSBR statistics on the basis requested were given in reply to the right hon. Member for Bethnal Green and Stepney (Mr. Shore) on 2 December 1991, Official Report. column 38. Figures for net public sector debt, which are available only from end-March 1975 onwards, are given in the table.
Net public sector debt as percentage of GDP1 Per cent. 1975 61.00 1976 59.00 1977 57.75 1978 54.00 1979 50.75 1980 46.25 1981 47.75 1982 47.25 1983 46.25 1984 46.75 1985 47.00 1986 45.25 1987 42.75 1988 38.25 1989 32.00 1990 27.75 1991 27.25 1 Stock of debt as at 31 March expressed as a percentage of GDP adjusted for the abolition of domestic rates in the year centred on that date.