asked the Minister for Finance the proportion of Government expenditure which is "determined" i.e. in the form of grant schemes, social security benefits, etc. and which fluctuates in cost in response to phenomena outside the Government's direct control at any given time.
Written Answers. - Government Expenditure Variables.
135.
The level of expenditure on certain schemes such as payments to recipients of social security and health allowances and capitation grants in the education area is a function of different variables — including the rate of individual payment and the numbers qualifying for that payment. In turn, the numbers qualifying are a function of other variables, such as the age structure of the population, mortality rates, sickness rates, unemployment rates and so on. These will vary from year to year and even from area to area. It cannot, therefore, be said that any such expenditure is "determined", though obviously it will be closely influenced by the behaviour of these variables. As regards grant schemes, the budget provisions for these are regarded as cash allocations which represent the limits of expenditure which will be undertaken in the year.