HAMBURG, Aug 24 (Reuters) - The dramatic growth in Germany’s public sector surplus over the first half means the government has extra room for manoeuvre, Finance Minister Olaf Scholz said on Friday after data was released showing the surplus at a record high.

Speaking in Hamburg after meeting finance ministers from fellow German-speaking countries Austria, Luxembourg and Liechtenstein, Scholz described as “positive” earlier figures showing the surprlus at a record high of 48.1 billion euros ($55.0 billion).

“It’s a good development (offering) further possibilities,” Scholz said, adding that he would see at the end of the year exactly how much extra wiggle room had been created. (Reporting by Jan Schwarz in Hamburg Writing by Thomas Escritt Editing by Paul Carrel)