Skip to main content

Public Expenditure

Volume 114: debated on Thursday 9 April 1987

The text on this page has been created from Hansard archive content, it may contain typographical errors.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the increase in central Government spending in each year since 1979, expressed in cash and in real terms; and what are the comparable figures for local government, giving in both cases the percentage annual increases.

The figures requested are given below:

£ billion
1Central government1Local authorities
2CashRealPer cent. change year on year in real terms2CashRealPer cent. change year on year in real terms
1979–8052·284·521·534·8
1980–8163·486·52·325·034·1-2·1
1981–8273·090·64·826·633·0-3·2
1982–8381·494·24·029·133·72·2
1983–8485·194·30·133·236·89·0
1984–8592·197·83·734·937·11·0
1985–8698·598·50·735·235·2-5·1
1986–87105·0101·83·438·137·04·9
1 The figures exclude finance for nationalised industries and other public corporations.
2 Cash figures adjusted for general inflation as measured by the GDP deflator at market prices—base year 1985–86.

Source: The figures are consistent with the 1987 public expenditure White Paper as updated by the 1987 Financial Statement and Budget Report.