Headline Comparisons

• Central government current receipts in November were 3.0% lower than in the same month last year. Receipts in the first eight months of this financial year have been 9.1% lower than in the same months of 2008-09. Last week's Pre-Budget Report forecast for 2009-10 implies a fall relative to last year's levels of 7.3% for the year as a whole and of 3.7% for the period from November 2009 to March 2010.

• Central government current spending in November was 6.4% higher than in the same month last year. Spending in the first eight months of this financial year has been 5.9% higher than in the same months of 2008-09. Last week's Pre-Budget Report forecast for 2009-10 implies an increase relative to last year's levels of 7.5% for the year as a whole and of 9.7% for the period from November 2009 to March 2010.

• Public sector net investment in November was £4.1bn compared to £2.3bn in the same month last year. Together, public sector net investment over the first eight months of this financial year has been £23.2bn, which is 60% higher than in the same months of 2008-09. Last week's Pre-Budget Report predicted that net investment in 2009-10 would be £49.5bn, which is 37% above last year's level.

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