Public finance bulletin November 2004

<p><h3>Headline Comparisons</h3><ul><li>Central government current receipts in October were 5.9% higher than in the same month last year. </p><p>Receipts in the first seven months of this financial year were 6.3% higher than in the same period of 2003- 04. The 2004 Budget implied that central government current receipts for the whole of 2004-05 would be 7.8% above 2003-04 levels. </p><p><li>Central government current spending in October was 8.2% higher than in the same month last year. </p><p>Spending in the first seven months of this financial year was 6.6% higher than in the period of 2003-04. The 2004 Budget implied that central government current spending for the whole of 2004-05 would be 5.2% above 2003-04 levels. </p><p><li>Public sector net investment in October was £1.1bn, or 20.9% higher than in the same month last year. Together, public sector net investment during the first seven months of this financial year has been £6.9bn, which is 13.1% higher than in the same period of 2003-04. The Budget predicted that net investment in 2004-05 would be £22.4bn, which is 63.3% above last year's level. </p><p></ul></p>