§ 4. Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Minister of Defence if he will now reduce present arms expenditure.
§ Mr. WatkinsonAs I informed the hon. Member for Wednesbury (Mr. Stonehouse) on 1st February, I see no 374 prospect of significantly reducing defence expenditure until there is an international agreement on disarmament or a real lowering of international tension.
§ Mr. AllaunIs it not a fact that the annual military expenditure has risen from £770 million in 1950 to approximately £1,620 million today, which may explain the present National Health Service cuts? Can the Minister at least give us an assurance that reports of yet another increase in this year's Estimates to £1,700 million are false?
§ Mr. WatkinsonIt is not customary to anticipate the White Paper on Defence. When the hon. Gentleman sees it, he may find that we have done a little better than he thinks.