HC Deb 15 July 1965 vol 716 cc770-1
Q2. Mr. Marten

asked the Prime Minister if he will now make a statement on the general reduction of military expenditure at home and overseas.

Q9. Mr. Frank Allaun

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his plans regarding reduction of arms expenditure.

The Prime Minister

No, Sir. The defence review is still in progress and there is nothing I can usefully say at this stage.

Mr. Marten

Could the Prime Minister kindly give an assurance that there will be no major changes announced in the defence policy during the Recess?

The Prime Minister

This review is inevitably a very thorough one and it is taking time. We certainly intend to make any announcement we have arising out of the defence review to the House, in full Session of the House.

Mr. Allaun

If we are to solve our pressing and inherited problems, can we afford the fantastic arms burden? Will the Prime Minister reconsider the recently declared aim of pegging arms to £2,000 million a year by 1970 at current prices? This means not a cut but an increase. Instead, would the Prime Minister slash the arms burden by a quarter?

The Prime Minister

I must make it clear to my hon. Friend that the decision that the defence programme should be restricted to £2,000 million at 1964 prices, means a substantial cut compared with the programmes that were already in force when we began our defence review last October, because there was included in this programme an increase from about £2,000 million to something like £2,475 million at 1964 prices. I do not need to indicate to the House the enormous difficulties, in terms of our commitments, in terms of weapon programmes and the rest, of cutting the defence programme from £2,475 million to £2,000 million. I hope that my hon. Friend will not under-rate what an achievement this will be.

Mr. Soames

Particularly where the Territorial Army is concerned, there are rumours that the Government are proposing to announce their conclusions on the review of the functions and size of the Territorial Army before the end of July or early August. Would he please ensure that his right hon. Friend, if he is going to make such an announcement, should do so in plenty of time so that it may be debated, if necessary.

The Prime Minister

So far as any question arising out of the defence review is concerned, I can assure the right hon. Gentleman that as soon as we are in a position to make a statement we shall make a statement in this House, not elsewhere.