True, the end-October Exchequer returns showed that spending at that point was nearly 20% above spending in the corresponding period last year. However, my aim and expectation remain that spending this year will come in on, or close to, the target increase of 14.5%. The forecast outturn figures for 2002 which were included in last week's AEV show that, at this stage, the forecast outturn for net voted expenditure is only slightly above the revised Estimates volume (REV) provision.