asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the public sector borrowing requirement at the end of 1984–85; and what is the effect on its level of the sale of publicly owned enterprises during the year.

The latest estimate of the public sector borrowing requirement for 1984–85 is £10·1 billion. That is 3·1 per cent. of GDP, which is as low as it has been for well over a decade. The PSBR benefited in the year by an estimated £2·1 billion from the special sales of assets programme.