Professor John McHale:

It would be reading too much into what we are stating there. We are making a general statement that once one increases spending, even the level of capital spending, it can be hard to bring that annual capital spend down as well. I take the Deputy’s point that it is easier to reverse than make an increase in current spending into the health or education sectors. Tax cuts are also difficult to reverse. There is no hidden statement that we were making a case for capital spending.