HC Deb 30 January 1963 vol 670 cc917-8
12. Mr. Frank Allaun

asked the Minister of Defence if he will state estimated expenditure on Polaris submarines, missiles and warheads, and on Blue Steel.

Mr. Thorneycroft

It would be contrary to the normal practice to disclose estimates of future expenditure on defence projects.

Mr. Allaun

How can the Minister hide behind the security reason when, in America, figures are published weekly of each individual contract? I am not asking for exact figures, but is it not a fact that hundreds of millions of pounds have been expended in addition to our present £1,720 million expenditure? Can the right hon. Gentleman say anything about the estimate suggested in certain quarters that our expenditure will rise to £2,000 million a year in a couple of years? Is that roughly accurate?

Mr. Thorneycroft

I hope that the hon. Member will not follow too pedantically any American or other procedure. Our procedure is that we do not give the figures as they might disclose the numbers.

Mr. Willis

How does the right hon. Gentleman know what the cost is going to be, since he does not seem to know the size of the programme or the speed with which it will proceed?

Mr. Thorneycroft

That seems a very shrewd question.

Mr. Mason

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that he is giving some very contemptible replies? Is he not aware that in an Answer last week he said that Blue Steel had cost £60 million, and would it not have been more than fair had he given my hon. Friend that reply today? Since that figure of £60 million for Blue Steel was estimated by the Auditor-General in 1960, am I to understand that there have been no further development costs involved between 1960 and December, 1962, when the first went into the Royal Air Force?

Mr. Thorneycroft

The hon. Member is right. There is a distinction between past R and D costs and future costs, including production costs for which he asked. It has been the practice in the House not to give production costs because it might disclose information to an enemy or potential enemy. It is true that the past R and D expenditure is about £60 million.