21.   Public expenditure control has a long history dating back to the early eighteenth century.

22.   Public expenditure in Declining areas will attract future private investment.

23.   Public sector pay and the unpredictability of pay settlements have always posed a major threat to public expenditure control.

24.   Since local authorities account for a quarter of all public expenditure, central government must control their spending.

25.   Subsequently, with the cuts in public expenditure, there has been a Decline in the overall growth of public service jobs.

26.   Such reduced absenteeism is a social benefit in that it reduces public expenditure through the statutory sick-pay scheme.

27.   The ambitious goal of reducing real total public expenditure in absolute terms was never achieved.

28.   The Conservatives want to maintain a firm control on public expenditure.

29.   The current cuts in public expenditure will inevitably exacerbate this situation.

30.   The definition of public expenditure is by no means clear-cut and must depend upon the question at issue.