Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Economic Progress on 26th November 1987.
Mr. Knox To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the criteria by which he judges economic progress.
Mr. Major Steady sustained growth, rising living standards, an improved supply side performance, and a reduction in inflation, a combination which has been experienced in the United Kingdom throughout the last five years.
Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Government Expenditure on 26th November 1987.
Miss Widdecombe To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish figures for general Government expenditure as a proportion of gross domestic product, excluding social security, since 1978-79.
Mr. Major General Government expenditure, excluding social security benefits, as a percentage of GDP is as follows:
Year | Percentage
1978-79 | 34.00
1979-80 | 34.25
1980-81 | 36.25
1981-82 | 35.50
1982-83 | 35.50
1983-84 | 34.25
1984-85 | 34.00
1985-86 | 32.25
1986-87 | 31.25
Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on the CBI on 26th November 1987.
Mr. Oppenheim To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he next expects to meet the director-general of the Confederation of British Industry to discuss the economic prospects for the United Kingdom.
Mr. Robert G. Hughes To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he next expects to meet the director-general of the Confederation of British Industry to discuss the economic prospects for the United Kingdom.
Mr. Bowis To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he next expects to meet the director-general of the Confederation of British Industry to discuss the economic prospects for the United Kingdom.
Mr. Major I refer my hon. Friends to the answer my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Stafford (Mr. Cash).
Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Unemployment Costs on 26th November 1987.
Mr. Ronnie Campbell To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the current cost of unemployment in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Major The estimated expenditure on unemployment and supplementary benefit paid to the unemployed is £6,050 million. In addition, it is estimated that £1,300 million will be paid in housing benefit, a benefit which can continue to be paid if the recipient finds employment.
Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Public Expenditure on 26th November 1987.
Mr. John Townend To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the movement of general Government expenditure since 1982-83; and what this now represents as a proportion of gross domestic product.
Mr. Fallon To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the movement of general Government expenditure since 1982-83; and what this now represents as a proportion of gross domestic product.
Mr. Major In real terms general Government expenditure, excluding privatisation proceeds, grew by about 1.75 per cent, a year in the period 1982-83 to 1986-87; as a percentage of GDP it is expected to be about 42.5 per cent, in 1987-88. For further details see tables 2.1 and 2.2 of the Autumn Statement 1987 HC No. 110.
Mr. Patchett To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest figure for the public expenditure outturn in 1987-88.
Mr. Major The latest forecast of the planning total for 1987-88 is £147.6 billion as set out in the 1987 Autumn Statement.
Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Industrial Production on 26th November 1987.
Mr. David Nicholson To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current level of industrial production in the United Kingdom; and how this compares with 1983.
Mr. Wood To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current level of industrial production in the United Kingdom; and how this compares with 1983.
Mr. Sackville To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current level of industrial production in the United Kingdom; and what was the comparable figure in 1983.
Mr. Major In the third quarter of 1987, the index of output of the production industries was 114.3, more than 12 per cent, above its average level in 1983.
Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Overseas Assets on 26th November 1987.
Mr. Forth To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of net United Kingdom assets overseas; and how this compares with the position in other major countries.
Mr. John Greenway To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of net United Kingdom assets overseas; and how this compares with the position in other major countries.
Mr. Major I refer my hon. Friends to the answer given earlier today to my hon. Friend, the Member for Fulham (Mr. Carrington).
Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on the Gross Domestic Product on 26th November 1987.
Mr. Michael Morris To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate for the growth of gross domestic product in the United Kingdom in the light of recent international developments.
Mr. Quentin Davies To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate for the growth of gross domestic product in the United Kingdom in the light of recent international developments.
Mr. Redwood To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate for the growth of gross domestic product in the United Kingdom in the light of recent international developments.
Mr. Major The Autumn Statement, which was published after the stock market fall, forecast growth in 1988 of 2.5 per cent, in the United Kingdom economy as a whole and 3 per cent, in the non-oil economy.
Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Personal Credit on 26th November 1987.
Mr. Malcolm Bruce To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the growth in personal credit over the past year.
Mr. Major There is no evidence that consumer credit has been accelerating recently. Much of the increase in personal debt takes the form of lending for house purchase or home improvement.
Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Job Creation on 26th November 1987.
Mr. Andy Stewart To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he makes of the extent to which Government economic policy has contributed to the fall in adult unemployment over the last 12 months.
Miss Emma Nicholson To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the extent to which Government economic policy has contributed to the fall in adult unemployment over the last 12 months.
Mr. Andrew MacKay To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he makes of the extent to which Government economic policy has contributed to the fall in adult unemployment over the last 12 months.
Mr. Hanley To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he makes of the extent to which Government economic policy has contributed to the fall in adult unemployment over the last 12 months.
Mrs. Hicks To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he makes of the extent to which Government economic policy has contributed to the fall in adult unemployment over the last 12 months.
Mr. Major The Government’s policies have created a stable financial framework, and encouraged greater effort and enterprise. As a result, the United Kingdom is growing faster than any other major economy, and firms are taking on new workers at an accelerating rate. This has contributed to a fall in adult unemployment of almost 450,000 since October 1986, the largest 12-monthly fall on record.