HC Deb 31 July 1998 vol 317 cc672-3W
Mr. Tyrie

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the contingency reserve for each year since 1970–71 until and including those years forecast in the latest Government expenditure forecasts(a) in cash, (b) as a percentage of GGE and (c) as a percentage of GDP; where figures for the reserve were published for more than one year, if he will calculate (a) to (c) for each published figure; and for those years for which cash figures are not available if he will publish the equivalent figures based on survey prices. [52816]

Mr. Byers

Before 1981, public expenditure was planned in volume terms. Figures for the planned reserves on a comparable basis are available starting from the 1981 Public Expenditure Survey, the first year of public expenditure cash planning. These may be found in the annual Financial Statement and Budget Reports (FSBRs), with the exception of plans for Departmental Expenditure Limits for the period 1999–2000 to 2001–02 which were set out in the July 1998 Comprehensive Spending Review White Paper (Cm 4011).

The scope of expenditure covered by the main control aggregate has varied since 1981, especially at the point of regime changes (i.e. from planning total to Control Total, and from Control Total to Departmental Expenditure Limits). In particular, the coverage of Departmental Expenditure Limits is substantially narrower than that of the Control Total. This needs to be taken into account if making comparisons over time.

Figures for the percentage of GGE may be calculated using the figures for GCE contained in Table A6 of Cm 4011. Figures for the percentage of GDP can be calculated using the table, which gives figures for GDP since 1982–83 and projections of GDP consistent with Cm 4011.

£ billion
Year GDP1
1982–83 280.7
1983–84 304.4
1984–85 326.2
1985–86 358.4
1986–87 385.7
1987–88 427.0
1988–89 475.4
1989–90 517.1
1990–91 556.7
1991–92 581.3
1992–93 606.8
1993–94 640.2
1994–95 678.5
1995–96 713.4
1996–97 752.2
1997–98 796.7
1998–99 833.6
1999–00 872.3
2000–01 914.3
2001–02 958.3
1 Figures up to 1997–98 are outturn GDP figures, adjusted to remove the distortion caused by the abolition of domestic rates; figures for the period 1998–99 to 2001–02 are calculated using projections of GDP consistent with those used in Cm 4011

Mr. Tyrie

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to Annex A, Table A6 of the Comprehensive Spending Review, what factors underlie the differences between the figures for General Government Expenditure and Total Managed Expenditure; and what Government documents set out the distinction between the two aggregates. [52817]

Mr. Byers

For an explanation of the differences between Total Managed Expenditure (TME) and General Government Expenditure (GGE) I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer the former Chief Secretary gave to the right hon. Member for Horsham (Mr. Maude) on 25 June 1998,Official Report, column 616.

TME was described in the Comprehensive Spending Review (Cm 4011), Paragraph B1. GGE was described in Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 1998–99 (Cm 3901) paragraph 1.8.