HC Deb 24 January 1995 vol 253 cc120-1W
Mr. Malcolm Bruce

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the(a) actual and (b) budgeted Cabinet Office and other spending, as classified in the 1995–96 Red Book, in each year from 1979 to 1994, at 1993 prices; what were the reasons for any material increase in real expenditures in this area; and what was the estimated annual actual expenditure on (a) direct funding to the Cabinet Office, (b) direct funding to the House of Commons and (c) direct funding of the House of Lords for each year from 1979 to 1994 at 1993 prices.

Mr. Robert G. Hughes

I have been asked to reply.

It is not possible to provide budget figures on the same basis as the actuals which are shown in the 1995–96 Red Book. Expenditure by the Cabinet Office and other spending as classified in the 1995–96 Red Book were as follows:

Cost of mortgage interest relief in Scotland
£ million
1982–83 140
1983–84 190
1984–85 260
1985–86 350
1986–87 300
1987–88 310
1988–89 370
1989–90 470

Cost of mortgage interest relief in Scotland
£ million
1990–91 530
1991–92 420
1992–93 340
1993–94 280
1994–951 2300
1995–961 3240
1Assumes, by convention, no changes from current interest rates.
2Relief at 20 per cent.
3Relief at 15 per cent.

The estimates for 1994–95 and 1995–96 are approximate and are based on the regional distribution of mortgages shown by the 1993 family expenditure survey applied to the United Kingdom total estimates for these years.

The corresponding costs in 1994–95 and 1995–96 for relief at 25 per cent. are estimated to be £380 million and £410 million respectively.