SPENDING BY BRITAIN

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27591, 23 February 1955, Page 13

SPENDING BY BRITAIN

No Rise Planned Next Year (Rec. 7 pjn.l LONDON, February 21. The British Government Estimates for 1955-56, published today, indicate an expenditure of around £4,500,000,000 —about the same as in the current year. The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Mr R. A. Butler) is expected to present his Budget in about six weeks. The total civil and defence Estimates for 1955 will amount to about £3,858.500,000—ab0ut £33,000,000 less than last year. Miscellaneous items, including interest on the national debt, were not disclosed. They were put at about £667,000,000 for the current financial year. Civil defence expenditure will be considerably reduced. In England and Wales it was put at nearly £11,000,000, against £16,500.000 in the previous year. The colonial services will cost £29.000,000 next year, against £43,000.000 in 1954-55. The Ministry of Food estimates that it will need more than £41,000.000 more in the coming financial year—£264,000,000 against £223,000.000 this year. The Estimate for the Foreign Service is £15,157,220, a reduction of £30,000. The Government is planning to spend £1,600,000 on the United Nations—about £500,000 less than this year’s figure. Colonial development and welfare will cost £18.000.000, an increase of £500,000.