Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Expenditure – 11 February 1988

Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Expenditure on 11th February 1988.

Mr. Worthington To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current estimate of underspend for 1987–88.

Mr. Galbraith To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the expected outturn for 1987–88.

Mr. Major The latest estimated outturn for the planning total in 1987–88 is £147.3 billion as set out in the 1988 public expenditure White Paper.

Mr. Michael To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what will be the percentage increase in spending on (a) hospital and (b) all central Government services between 1988–89 and 1989–90.

Mr. Major Health figures for the United Kingdom are shown in table 2.7 of volume I of the 1988 public expenditure White Paper. The table shows increases between 1988–89 and 1989–90 of about 4.5 per cent. for hospital and community health services and about 5 per cent. for the National Health Service as a whole. The overall increase in central Government spending between 1988–89 and 1989–90 is planned to be about 5.25 per cent.

Mr. Morley To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to increase planned expenditure on (a) the National Health Service and (b) all Government expenditure in the years 1988–89 to 1990–91.

Mr. Major The Government have announced increases in public spending in total and on the National Health Service. The latest plans are set out in “The Government’s Expenditure Plans 1988–89 to 1990–91” (Cm. 288). These plans will be reviewed in the normal way in the annual public expenditure survey.

Mr. Fatchett To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received in relation to his recently published expenditure plans for (a) education spending and (b) Government expenditure generally.

Mr. Major The White Paper plans, and the increased provision they include for education, have been widely welcomed.