The Public Expenditure Debate

This Briefing Paper is concerned with the structural implications of public expenditure for economic performance. It examines the growing role of public expenditure in Britain over the past hundred years, and compares the current share of public spending in the UK with that in other developed countries. Since overall public expenditure does not appear to be a useful concept in the context of the structural debate, the distinctions between different types of public expenditure are emphasised The main purpose of the Briefing Paper is to clarify the current debate.