mpc: 11 In the United Kingdom, overall GDP growth in the fourth quarter was unrevised, in the second
release, at 0.9% at market prices and 0.8% at basic prices. Surveys remained strong, though less
consistently so than a month ago, and still suggested growth of over 1% in the first quarter of 2004.
Revisions to earlier data had raised the estimated level of GDP at basic prices by around 0.3% by the
fourth quarter, with much of this revision falling in the first half of the year. Interpreted mechanically,
this implied an equal reduction in spare capacity. But the Committee's view on capacity was based on
a wider range of considerations; other information on capacity, and the fact that past inflation was
unchanged, argued against such an interpretation. This month's special survey of capacity utilisation
by the Bank's regional Agents indicated few pressure points; indeed, it suggested that there might be
rather more scope for average hours of work to increase, should the need arise, than had been allowed
for in the Committee's February projections.
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