I propose to give the national debt figure for the nearest available end-quarter to the date of commencement of each new Government. The Deputy may also wish to note that in order to eliminate double counting the basis for calculating the national debt figures was changed in 1987 and figures on the new basis were prepared for each end-year beginning at end-1982. To facilitate comparisons I am providing the end-1982 national debt figure on both the new and old basis.
The information sought by the Deputy is set out in the following table: