§ Mr. Frank AllaunI beg to ask leave to move the Adjournment of the House, under Standing Order No. 9, for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that should have urgent consideration, namely,
the Government's intention to make a big increase in arms spending".The matter is specific because last night, in Brussels, the Secretary of State for Defence announced the Government's intention to increase arms expenditure by 5 per cent. in real terms. In cash terms, that means far more than £150 million in real terms, and it is on top of this year's increase, which is an all-time record, bringing the total expenditure to £2,854 million a year.The matter is urgent because the Minister's announcement was made on the eve of the conference on mutual and balanced forced reductions—
§ Mr. Russell Kerr (Feltham)It was meant to sabotage it.
§ Mr. AllaunAs my hon. Friend says, it was meant to sabotage it.
The matter is urgent because, far from reducing international tension, the announcement will set back the growing hopes of détente and will endanger the conference which is due to begin very shortly. It will also enhance the suspicion that the Government do not want the conference to succeed. The matter is also urgent because the arms estimates, to be announced in February, are now being drawn up within the Ministry:
The matter is important because this country already devotes a higher proportion of its gross national product to so-called defence than any other Western European NATO country, with the exception of Portugal. The Minister of State for Defence told the House this year that if we reduced arms expenditure to the same proportion of GNP as that of the other Western European NATO countries £600 million would be saved for other things.
It is also important because last night's announcement was made at a time when it has been revealed that the housing situation is more serious than it has been for years. The extra money which the 1310 Government are to devote to arms expenditure would build an additional 30,000 houses for families who desperately need them.
I therefore think that there is a case for the House to consider under Standing Order No. 9.
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. Gentleman was courteous enough to give me considerable notice that he intended to make this application. Therefore, I have had the opportunity of considering it carefully. I have also listened to what he said today —it came very near to the kind of speech which he would have made if his application had been granted.
Of course this is an important matter. It is obviously a matter for debate, but not, in my view, under Standing Order No. 9, either today or tomorrow. Therefore, I rule against the hon. Gentleman's application.