Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Government Expenditure – 14 November 1988

Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Government Expenditure on 14th November 1988.

Mr. Ralph Howell To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was total Government expenditure for 1960, 1970, 1979, 1984 and 1988; and what percentage of the gross domestic product it represents for each of those years.

Mr. Major The available information is given in the table. Corresponding figures for years before 1963-64 are not readily available on a consistent basis.

Year | General government expenditure in £ billion (1) | Percentage of GDP
1963–64 | 11.3 | 36.25
1970–71 | 21.6 | 40.75
1979–80 | 90.3 | 43.5
1984–85 | 152.8 | 46.25
1988–89 | 186.9 | 39.75

(1) Excluding privatisation proceeds.

Note: The full series is set out in table 1.1 of the 1988 autumn statement.