§ 21. Sir R. Aclandasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what, to the nearest £100 million per annum, is the rate at which the country is now spending money on defence.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerThe current year's Defence budget, in the broad terms asked for, is £1,500 million.
§ Mr. ShinwellDoes that mean that the Government are spending more or less this year than was spent last year?
§ Mr. ButlerThe current year bears out the estimate, which I have already given in public, of a figure approximately the same as I have mentioned. I am not forecasting what next year's expenditure will be.
§ Mr. ShinwellBut have not representative spokesmen of the Government claimed that the Government intended to spend less on defence this year than was spent last year, and do not these figures indicate the reverse?
§ Mr. ButlerNo, they indicate, as is, I hope, usual in the administration which I attempt to carry out, that what I forecast is proving to be correct.
§ Sir R. AclandIf the answer was an estimate of what the rate of expenditure was to be, can the Chancellor say whether current experience shows that that is about the rate at which we are now spending?
§ Mr. ButlerAs I have said on another occasion, the Exchequer returns indicate that in the first quarter of this year defence expenditure was somewhat up and that in the second quarter it was declining; and I anticipate that for the year it should work out broadly as I have stated.