The Office for National Statistics published the UK National Accounts in line with the updated European System of Accounts (ESA95) for the first time in September. This has had a number of implications for how debt levels are compiled. To ensure consistency with the previous articles in this series during the transition period, the data presented here are based on the previous accounting system. However, details of the changes and estimates of how they affect public sector debt are explored in the box on pages 334–35.
Public sector debt: end March 1998