<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 A000000 01/31/97
000 C000000 0000769220
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 3.0.a
000 J000000 A
001 A000000 DELAWARE GROUP GOVERNMENT FUND, INC.
001 B000000 811-4304
001 C000000 2152552926
002 A000000 2005 MARKET STREET
002 B000000 PHILADELPHIA
002 C000000 PA
002 D010000 19103
003 000000 N
004 000000 N
005 000000 N
006 000000 N
007 A000000 Y
007 B000000 1
007 C010100 1
007 C020100 GOVERNMENT INCOME SERIES
007 C030100 N
007 C010200 2
007 C010300 3
007 C010400 4
007 C010500 5
007 C010600 6
007 C010700 7
007 C010800 8
007 C010900 9
007 C011000 10
018 00AA00 Y
019 A00AA00 Y
019 B00AA00 54
019 C00AA00 DELAWARECX
022 A000001 STARBOARD CAPITAL MARKETS
022 B000001 23-2770786
022 C000001 21800
022 D000001 14712
022 A000002 PRUDENTIAL BACHE
022 B000002 22-2347336
022 C000002 0
022 D000002 12580
022 A000003 INTERSTATE SECURITIES
022 C000003 5056
022 D000003 4951
022 A000004 GOLDMAN SACHS & CO.
022 B000004 13-5108880
<PAGE> PAGE 2
022 C000004 0
022 D000004 7457
022 A000005 MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH
022 B000005 13-5674085
022 C000005 0
022 D000005 6016
022 A000006 BEAR STEARNS & CO.
022 B000006 13-3299429
022 C000006 5811
022 D000006 0
022 A000007 SMITH BARNEY & CO.
022 B000007 13-1912900
022 C000007 5430
022 D000007 0
022 A000008 OPPENHEIMER & CO.
022 B000008 13-2798343
022 C000008 4453
022 D000008 0
022 A000009 SALOMON BROTHERS
022 B000009 13-3082694
022 C000009 4218
022 D000009 0
022 A000010 ARBOR TRADING
022 B000010 36-3540782
022 C000010 3934
022 D000010 0
023 C000000 54901
023 D000000 54942
027 000000 Y
077 A000000 Y
077 Q010000 Y
028 A010100 1558
028 A020100 15
028 A030100 0
028 A040100 6054
028 B010100 642
028 B020100 617
028 B030100 0
028 B040100 3856
028 C010100 1126
028 C020100 614
028 C030100 0
028 C040100 3886
028 D010100 1497
028 D020100 557
028 D030100 0
028 D040100 3853
028 E010100 978
028 E020100 596
028 E030100 0
028 E040100 4182
<PAGE> PAGE 3
028 F010100 4883
028 F020100 1187
028 F030100 0
028 F040100 4002
028 G010100 10684
028 G020100 3586
028 G030100 0
028 G040100 25833
028 H000100 3972
029 000100 Y
030 A000100 82
030 B000100 4.75
030 C000100 0.00
031 A000100 68
031 B000100 0
032 000100 14
033 000100 0
042 A000100 0
042 B000100 0
042 C000100 100
042 D000100 0
042 E000100 0
042 F000100 0
042 G000100 0
042 H000100 0
043 000100 0
044 000100 0
062 A000100 Y
062 B000100 0.0
062 C000100 0.0
062 D000100 1.0
062 E000100 0.0
062 F000100 0.0
062 G000100 0.0
062 H000100 0.0
062 I000100 0.0
062 J000100 0.0
062 K000100 0.0
062 L000100 0.0
062 M000100 22.6
062 N000100 32.1
062 O000100 0.0
062 P000100 7.2
062 Q000100 37.7
062 R000100 0.0
063 A000100 0
063 B000100 18.0
071 A000100 56352
071 B000100 65589
071 C000100 176600
071 D000100 63
<PAGE> PAGE 4
072 A000100 6
072 B000100 7394
072 C000100 0
072 D000100 0
072 E000100 0
072 F000100 531
072 G000100 0
072 H000100 29
072 I000100 191
072 J000100 2
072 K000100 0
072 L000100 35
072 M000100 5
072 N000100 30
072 O000100 1
072 P000100 0
072 Q000100 0
072 R000100 7
072 S000100 5
072 T000100 239
072 U000100 0
072 V000100 0
072 W000100 4
072 X000100 1079
072 Y000100 0
072 Z000100 6315
072AA000100 255
072BB000100 1325
072CC010100 2614
072CC020100 0
072DD010100 6337
072DD020100 0
072EE000100 0
073 A010100 0.2680
073 A020100 0.0000
073 B000100 0.0000
073 C000100 0.0000
074 A000100 11
074 B000100 1663
074 C000100 0
074 D000100 174931
074 E000100 0
074 F000100 0
074 G000100 0
074 H000100 0
074 I000100 0
074 J000100 10548
074 K000100 0
074 L000100 2823
074 M000100 0
074 N000100 189976
<PAGE> PAGE 5
074 O000100 13162
074 P000100 0
074 Q000100 0
074 R010100 0
074 R020100 0
074 R030100 0
074 R040100 1136
074 S000100 0
074 T000100 175678
074 U010100 22964
074 U020100 0
074 V010100 7.65
074 V020100 0.00
074 W000100 0.0000
074 X000100 8060
074 Y000100 0
075 A000100 0
075 B000100 178664
076 000100 0.00
SIGNATURE ROSEMARY E. MILNER
TITLE VICE PRESIDENT
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000769220
<NAME> DELAWARE GROUP GOVERNMENT FUND, INC.
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 011
<NAME> U.S. GOVERNMENT FUND A CLASS
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> JUL-31-1996
<PERIOD-END> JAN-31-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 177,448,533
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 176,594,349
<RECEIVABLES> 13,370,049
<ASSETS-OTHER> 302
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 11,493
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 189,976,193
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 13,161,921
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 1,135,914
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 14,297,835
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 229,639
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 175,448,719
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 19,870,770
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 21,633,510
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> (21,521)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> (44,860,902)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> (854,184)
<NET-ASSETS> 152,015,371
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 7,394,009
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 1,078,838
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 6,315,171
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> (1,069,949)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 2,614,052
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 7,859,274
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 5,662,820
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 518,549
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 2,695,147
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 413,858
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> (10,040,712)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> (36,743,179)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 530,635
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 1,078,838
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 158,890,918
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 7.590
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0.268
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 0.060
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0.268
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 7.650
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 1.18
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000769220
<NAME> DELAWARE GROUP GOVERNMENT FUND, INC.
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 012
<NAME> U.S. GOVERNMENT FUND B CLASS
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> JUL-31-1996
<PERIOD-END> JAN-31-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 177,448,533
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 176,594,349
<RECEIVABLES> 13,370,049
<ASSETS-OTHER> 302
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 11,493
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 189,976,193
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 13,161,921
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 1,135,914
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 14,297,835
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 229,639
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 175,448,719
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 1,378,320
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 1,285,378
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> (21,521)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> (44,860,902)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> (854,184)
<NET-ASSETS> 10,544,424
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 7,394,009
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 1,078,838
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 6,315,171
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> (1,069,949)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 2,614,052
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 7,859,274
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 327,865
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 189,354
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 113,416
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 17,004
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> (10,040,712)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> (36,743,179)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 530,635
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 1,078,838
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 10,255,921
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 7.590
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0.245
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 0.060
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0.245
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 7.650
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 1.88
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000769220
<NAME> DELAWARE GROUP GOVERNMENT FUND, INC.
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 013
<NAME> U.S. GOVERNMENT FUND C CLASS
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> JUL-31-1996
<PERIOD-END> JAN-31-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 177,448,533
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 176,594,349
<RECEIVABLES> 13,370,049
<ASSETS-OTHER> 302
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 11,493
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 189,976,193
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 13,161,921
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 1,135,914
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 14,297,835
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 229,639
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 175,448,719
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 151,826
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 135,664
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> (21,521)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> (44,860,902)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> (854,184)
<NET-ASSETS> 1,161,499
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 7,394,009
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 1,078,838
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 6,315,171
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> (1,069,949)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 2,614,052
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 7,859,274
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 35,415
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 23,441
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 11,292
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 4,013
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> (10,040,712)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> (36,743,179)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 530,635
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 1,078,838
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 1,104,851
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 7.590
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0.250
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 0.060
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0.250
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 7.650
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 1.88
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000769220
<NAME> DELAWARE GROUP GOVERNMENT FUND, INC.
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 014
<NAME> U.S. GOVERNMENT FUND INSTITUTIONAL CLASS
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> JUL-31-1996
<PERIOD-END> JAN-31-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 177,448,533
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 176,594,349
<RECEIVABLES> 13,370,049
<ASSETS-OTHER> 302
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 11,493
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 189,976,193
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 13,161,921
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 1,135,914
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 14,297,835
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 229,639
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 175,448,719
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 1,562,974
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 1,420,656
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> (21,521)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> (44,860,902)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> (854,184)
<NET-ASSETS> 11,957,064
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 7,394,009
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 1,078,838
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 6,315,171
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> (1,069,949)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 2,614,052
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 7,859,274
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 310,587
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 664,844
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 556,693
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 34,167
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> (10,040,712)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> (36,743,179)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 530,635
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 1,078,838
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 8,412,075
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 7.590
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0.284
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 0.060
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0.284
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 7.650
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 0.88
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
