Vol. 405 No. 3
144 Mr. Barry asked the Minister for Finance the level of Exchequer borrowing in 1990, and the proposed level for 1991 in real terms and as a percentage of GNP; and the figure for the public sector borrowing requirement in 1990 and 1991, excluding the sales of State assets in these years.
I assume that what the Deputy wants is the 1990 and 1991 borrowing level stated in comparable terms rather than in current values.
Each year there are proceeds from the sale of assets, and the provision of data on the basis requested is therefore somewhat unreal. The outturn for Exchequer borrowing in 1990 — excluding the proceeds of sale of property and other State assets — was £472 million or 2.1 per cent of GNP. The figures for 1991, on the same basis, but with the nominal value adjusted by the GNP deflator to express it in real 1990 terms, are calculated as £544 million, and 2.3 per cent.
The public sector borrowing requirements in 1990 and 1991, similarly excluding sales of State assets and with the 1991 figure expressed in real 1990 terms by reference to the GNP deflator, are calculated as £691 million and £906 million, respectively.
