Which of the following is NOT a type of expenditure?

The identification of a type of expenditure relies on understanding the nature of the financial transactions involved. In this context, purchases are indeed classified as a type of expenditure because they represent the acquisition of goods or services that result in a reduction of available cash or resources.

When considering the other options, issues generally refer to the distribution or allocation of resources but do not inherently represent a financial transaction that decreases available financial resources in the same direct way that purchases do. Similarly, surveys might involve costs associated with data collection or research but do not directly result in the purchasing of goods or services, hence they do not fit the typical structure of an expenditure either. Cash sales, while they generate revenue, do represent a financial activity that is more about income generation rather than expenditure, as they reflect sales transactions rather than the outflow of cash.

Thus, purchases are distinctly recognized as expenditures, while the other choices relate to operational or transactional activities that do not directly record cash outflows as expenditures.