§ 1. Mr. Swinglerasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give, for the last five years, the figures of defence expenditure expressed as a percentage of Government expenditure and of national income, respectively; and his estimate of the figures for the current year.
§ The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Mr. Henry Brooke)As the Answer contains a number of figures I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. SwinglerWhile thanking the Financial Secretary for supplying those figures, may I ask him whether they do not reveal the principal source of inflation in our economy in the last few years? Also, has he had an opportunity of comparing the figures with those of other European Powers, and if so, what conclusions has he arrived at?
§ Mr. BrookeThe answer to the first part of the supplementary question is "No, Sir." With regard to the second part, I have not myself made a detailed comparison, but I will endeavour to do so.
§ Following is the Answer:
§ Central Government current expenditure on military defence, as a percentage of the gross national product, is estimated as follows:
| 1951 | 8.5 |
| 1952 | 10.4 |
| 1953 | 10.4 |
| 1954 | 9.8 |
| 1955 | 9.0 |
§ As a percentage of total central Government current expenditure (excluding expenditure of the National Insurance 1354 funds), current expenditure on military defence is estimated at:
| 1951 | 29.8 |
| 1952 | 34.9 |
| 1953 | 35.7 |
| 1954 | 35.1 |
| 1955 | 33.7 |