Net Cash Requirement

HC Deb 13 March 2001 vol 364 cc553-4W

Mr. Gibb

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the difference between the central Government net cash requirement forecast for 2000–01 in the pre-Budget report and the equivalent figure in the Financial Statement and Budget report (HC 279). [153389]

Mr. Andrew Smith

Table C20 of the Financial Statement and Budget Report (FSBR) for March 2001 shows that the central Government net cash requirement (CGNCR) is forecast to be a repayment of £34.3 billion in 2000–01. This compares with the pre-Budget report forecast of the CGNCR of a repayment of £28.1 billion in 2000–01. The difference in these forecasts largely reflect differences in the forecasts of net borrowing, which are fully explained in Tables C6, C8 and C12 and paragraphs C26 to C57 of the FSBR.