HC Deb 16 July 1996 vol 281 c429W
10. Mr. Wilson

To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on trends in the level of national debt since 1990. [35821]

The Prime Minister

There are a number of different measures of public debt. On the measure used for the European Union excessive deficits procedure, the general Government gross debt—GGGD/GDP—ratio remains lower than any other EU member state apart from Luxembourg and France.

Since 1991, the GGGD/GDP ratio has averaged 44 per cent. Under the last Labour Government, the GGGD/GDP ratio averaged 62 per cent.