HC Deb 01 August 1962 vol 664 cc558-60
8. Mr. Emrys Hughes

asked the Minister of Defence what new proposals he has for reducing defence expenditure.

Mr. Thorneycroft

My problem is to keep within bounds its tendency to rise.

Mr. Hughes

Is the Minister, in his desperate effort to keep expenditure within bounds, aware that defence expenditure has gone up by over £200 million since he resigned as Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he thought that defence expenditure was too high, and talked about it being one of the causes of a slithering from one crisis to another and bringing the value of the £ from 20s. to 12s.? Is he now to devote all his energy to this matter, and can we rely on him to keep a very vigilant eye on defence expenditure?

Mr. Thorneycroft

The hon. Gentleman will know that there is nothing desperate about my activities. I am giving calm consideration to the subject.

Commander Maitland

Will my right hon. Friend confirm that his first duty is to see that the country is properly defended?

Mr. Thorneycroft

It is. I also have the duty to see that the money that is available for defence is spent to the best advantage.

Mr. Gordon Walker

In view of reports in The Times today, can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the abandonment of Blue Water is among the measures of economy that he is considering?

Mr. Thorneycroft

I exclude no possibility from an examination of measures of economy.

Mr. Marten

Can my right hon. Friend confirm that he has no intention of giving up our independent nuclear deterrent, or of sharing it with other countries?

Mr. Thorneycroft

That is a different question, but I have already made it quite plain that we have a British nuclear deterrent, and we are keeping it.

Mr. Elwyn Jones

Meantime, can the Minister of Defence say when defence expenditure in this country was last reduced?

Mr. Thorneycroft

A very long time ago.

9. Mr. Emrys Hughes

asked the Minister of Defence what is now the United Kingdom's daily expenditure on defence in Germany.

Mr. Thorneycroft

About £287,000.

Mr. Hughes

Is not this a splendid opportunity for the Minister of Defence to wield the axe, and could he not be inspired by the speeches of the ex-Chancellor of the Exchequer; that is, before he underwent this resurrection?

Mr. Thorneycroft

I draw my inspiration from many sources, not excluding the hon. Member, but I do not think that withdrawal of our troops from Europe would make a great contribution to economy in defence costs.