asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will place in the Library a document comparing the criteria for the calculation of the content of public expenditure adopted by each of the member countries of the EEC, so that a comparison can be made between the percentage of GNP devoted to public expenditure in each of these countries.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 1st November 1976; Vol. 918, c. 483], gave the following information:Public expenditure is not an aggregate consistently defined by the member countries of the EEC. They have differing Budget systems and comparison of expenditure is best made using national accounts figures of general—central and local—Government transactions, compiled in accordance with the European System of Integrated Economic Accounts (ESA). Figures on this basis are shown in national accounts ESA detailed tables 1970–74. Copies of this publication are in the library.