asked the Minister for Finance the amount he now expects the Government's total borrowing requirements to be in the current year; the components of such borrowing; and how it compares with his budget forecast.

The budget estimate for the Exchequer borrowing requirement in 1979 was £779 million, 10½ per cent of GNP. It would be premature at this stage in the financial year to furnish a revised outturn figure, particularly as the outturn could be significantly affected by the interference with the Exchequer cash flow caused by the Post Office dispute.