"We developed during the 1990s a series of budget process rules that helped us bring to heel these deficits, diminishing every year and moving the budget so into surplus"

John Spratt's quote is referring to the budget process guidelines that were developed throughout the 1990s. These guidelines helped to decrease the deficit spending that had actually been accumulating, and ultimately caused a spending plan surplus. This was a significant accomplishment, as budget deficits can be hard to manage and can result in economic instability. The budget process rules allowed for better fiscal management, and the resulting budget plan surplus was a sign of economic health. The spending plan process guidelines of the 1990s were a significant success, and helped to guarantee that the deficit spending were brought under control and eventually removed.