HC Deb 05 November 1996 vol 284 c422W
Mr. Malcolm Bruce

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the ability of the United Kingdom to reduce its general Government financial deficit to below the 3 per cent. level necessary to meet the Maastrict treaty convergence criteria. [810]

Mr. Waldegrave

[holding answer 31 October 1996]: The summer economic forecast projected a general Government deficit in the UK of 3 per cent. in 1997–98. Updated forecasts will be published with the Budget, on 26 November 1996.