The shortfall between the government’s recurrent revenue and total expenditure increased by €139.5 million to €410.5 million between January and last month.

The National Statistics Office said that recurrent revenue for the first 11 months exhibited a decline of €34.3 million, while total expenditure rose by €105.2 million, widening the deficit between recurrent revenue and total expenditure to €410.5 million.

Recurrent revenue was recorded at €1,909.7 million. The comparative decline of 1.8 per cent resulted from lower customs and excise duties (-€69 million) and value added tax (-€18.8 million). Increases in revenue were recorded from grants (+€20.2 million), social security (+€17.9 million), licenses, taxes and fines (+€16.2 million) and income tax (+€9.7 million).

Compared to January-November 2008, total expenditure registered an increase of €105.2 million, mainly as a result of higher recurrent expenditure.

Recurrent expenditure went up by €90.6 million, totalling €1,929.9 million. The largest increase was recorded in programmes and initiatives (€60.6 million) as a result of higher expenditure on social security benefits (+€65.5 million), the shipyard's voluntary retirement scheme (+€19.6 million), medicines and surgical materials (+€14.6 million), third country nationals (+€4.9 million), EU own resources (+€4.5 million) and solid waste strategy (+€3.6 million), which were partly offset by a drop of €61.5 million in energy support measures.

Personal emoluments added €19.4 million.

The interest component of the public debt servicing costs declined by €1.6 million and amounted to €179.5 million.

Government’s capital expenditure for the period under review was recorded at €210.8 million from €194.5 million last year, up by 8.4 per cent.

The government’s debt outstanding at the end of November totalled €3,951 million, an increase of €430.2 million compared to November last year. Short-term and long-term borrowing rose by €176.2 million and €261.7 million respectively, while foreign borrowing declined by €14 million. The euro coins issued in the name of the Maltese Treasury, considered as a currency liability pertaining to the government, amounted to €36.7 million, €6.3 million more compared to the euro coin stock as at the end of November 2008.

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