<p><h3>Headline Comparisons</h3> </p><p> </p><p><ul> </p><p><li><em class="bold">Central government current receipts</em> in December were 9.4% higher than in the same month last year. Last month's Pre-Budget Report forecast for 2004-05 implies an increase over last year's levels of 7.2% for the year as a whole and of 7.6% for the period from December 2004 to March 2005. The latest figures show an increase over last year's levels of 7.2% in the year to date, and a cumulative increase of 8.2% over last year for the two months since the Pre-Budget Report. </p><p><li><em class="bold">Central government current spending</em> in December was 1.5% lower than in the same month last year. Last month's Pre-Budget Report forecast for 2004-05 implies an increase over last year's levels of 5.2% for the year as a whole and of 2.6% for the period from December 2004 to March 2005. The latest figures show an increase over last year's levels of 6.2% for the year to date, and a cumulative increase of 3.0% over last year for the two months since the Pre-Budget Report. </p><p><li><em class="bold">Public sector net investment</em> in December was £1.2bn, or 12.9% higher than in the same month last year. Last month's Pre-Budget Report forecast for 2004-05 implies an increase of 59.6% for the year as a whole and an increase of 94.2% for the period from December 2004 to March 2005. The latest figures show an increase over last year's levels of 15.6% for the year to date, and a cumulative increase of 22.1% over last year for the two months since the Pre-Budget Report. </p><p></ul></p>