The difference in the annual rate of return between economic and social infrastructure projects is marginal, 37.0% compared to 38.6% respectively, although the social infrastructure sample was three times larger than the economic sample - Table 16. Transactions that included a mix of economic and social projects were excluded, as were criminal justice projects. The analysis does reveal that specifically economic and social project transactions have a higher than average annual rate of return compared to the 29% average for all transactions.
Table 16: Profit differential between economic and social infrastructure
| Economic Transport, utilities, communications and renewable energy | No of projects in transactions | Average rate of return (%) | Social Education, health, leisure | No of projects in transactions | Average rate of return (%) |
| Transactions with profits data directly attributed to project | 25 | 37.0 | Transactions with profits data directly attributed to project | 83 | 38.6 |
Source: European Services Strategy Unit PPP Equity Database 2012