<p><h3>Headline Comparisons</h3> </p><p> </p><p><ul> </p><p><li><em class="bold">Central government current receipts</em> in February were 3.4% higher than in the same month last year. To achieve the forecast for 2004-05 in this week's Budget, which was made taking the February 2005 public finance figures into account, would require a 7.4% increase in March 2005 over the same month last year. The Budget forecast for 2004-05 implies an increase over last year's levels of 7.2% for the year as a whole; the latest figures show an increase over last year's levels of 7.2% for the year to date. </p><p><li><em class="bold">Central government current spending</em> in February was 6.1% higher than in the same month last year. To achieve the forecast for 2004-05 in this week's Budget would require a 4.7% increase in March 2005 over the same month last year. The Budget forecast 2004-05 implies an increase over last year's levels of 6.0% for the year as a whole; the latest figures show an increase over last year's levels of 6.1% for the year to date. </p><p><li><em class="bold">Public sector net investment</em> in February was 132.8% higher than in the same month last year. To achieve the forecast for 2004-05 in this week's Budget would require a 21.5% increase in March 2005 over the same month last year. The Budget forecast 2004-05 implies an increase over last year's levels of 25.3% for the year as a whole; the latest figures show an increase over last year's levels of 26.1 for the year to date. </p><p></ul></li></p>