Spending in Britain is set to make up 25% of total expenditure that Friday across Europe.
One reason is that welfare, which makes up 28% of total expenditure, escaped largely unscathed.
Only 15 per cent of total expenditure comes from the Arts Council.
Among OECD countries, the proportion of total expenditure on health spent on pharmaceuticals is highest in Japan, 20%.
Even in an outcome-funded world, however, doesn't the state want control over the proportion of total expenditure actually invested in frontline services?
In 1998-99, spending on publicly funded patients treated privately was only about 5% of total expenditure on the NHS.
Health-related research was a key beneficiary of this 'peace dividend', now accounting for just under a quarter of total expenditure.
Introduction: Throughout the 1990s, in response to funding deficits, out-of-pocket payment has grown as a share of total expenditure in countries in transition.
Rather than have extensive annual discussions on expenditure allocations in Scotland and Wales, a formula was devised as a percentage of total expenditure for each of the countries.
They also hinted at the pain that lay ahead: spending cuts equal to less than 1% of total expenditure involved reductions of over 5% for some departments.
In the late 20th century many countries (particularly the United Kingdom) have been abandoning this approach, largely because it gives inadequate control of total expenditure.
