<p><h4>Headline Comparisons</h4> </p><p><ul> </p><p><li><em class="bold"> Central government current receipts</em> in October were 9.6% higher than in the same month last year. Receipts in the first seven months of 2005-06 were 7.4% higher than in the same months of 2004-05. The 2005 Budget implied that central government current receipts for the whole of 2005-06 would be 8.5% above 2004-05 levels. </p><p><li><em class="bold"> Central government current spending</em> in October was 2.9% lower than in the same month last year. Spending in the first seven months of 2005-06 was 4.1% higher than in the same months of 2004-05. The 2005 Budget implied that central government current spending for the whole of 2005-06 would be 5.6% above 2004-05 levels. </p><p><li><em class="bold"> Public sector net investment </em>in October was £0.6bn higher (43.1%) than in the same month last year. Together, public sector net investment during the first seven months of 2005-06 has been £2.9bn higher (39.7%) than in the same months of 2004-05. The Budget predicted that net investment in 2005-06 would be 38.3% above last year's level.</ul></p>