§ Mr. MaudeTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list his latest estimates and forecast expenditure in cash terms for cyclical social security for (i) 1997–98, (ii) 1998–99, (iii) 1999–2000, (iv) 2000–01 and (v) 2001–02. [68385]
§ Mr. DarlingGovernment expenditure is no longer classified as being Cyclical or as part of the Control Total. Major reforms to tighten the control and to improve the long term planning of public spending were announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Economic and Fiscal Strategy Report (published June 1998). Spending plans across the public sector is known as Total Managed Expenditure (TME). Large demand-led programmes, such as DSS benefits expenditure, are brought together in Annually Managed Expenditure (AME). The latest forecasts for DSS benefits expenditure were published in the November 1998 Pre-Budget Report.