HC Deb 18 May 1972 vol 837 cc674-5
19. Mr. Loveridge

asked the Minister of State for Defence if the Government will approve an increase in the amount to be spent on defence of a further£ per cent. of the gross national product in the next financial year, so that British Servicemen may have the best possible equipment.

Lord Balniel

No, Sir. The standard of equipment now coming into service with the British Forces is already very high and we shall continue to seek to obtain the best possible value for money from the resources available for the procurement of defence equipment.

Mr. Loveridge

I appreciate my right hon. Friend's answer, but is not manpower taking an ever-increasing proportion of the total amount spent on defence, thus leaving less and less for equipment? My right hon. Friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary said in 1966 that a nation that could not devote 6½ per cent. of its gross national product to defence was not fit to take its part in the defence of the free world. Has the Government's view changed?

Lord Balniel

The proportion of our defence budget which is spent on equipment compares very favourably with that of our European allies, but my hon. Friend is quite correct. The question of the proportion which should be spent on equipment and the proportion which should be spent on manpower is a constant and recurring problem. My hon. Friend will appreciate that were his Question to be answered in the affirmative it would mean an increase of£250 million in the defence budget.

Mr. Kaufman

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in a situation where the Government are charging admission to museums and galleries at a cost of£1 million, doing away with free school milk at a cost of£9 million and imposing VAT on childrens' shoes at a cost of£12 million, the suggestion of his hon. Friend the Member for Hornchurch (Mr. Loveridge) is intolerable and that the Government would be far better advised to harmonise our defence costs down to those of the other Common Market countries when we enter?

Lord Balniel

The hon. Gentleman should appreciate that this country spends on defence 5½ per cent. of our gross national product. The proportion of the Soviet GNP which is spent on defence is about 8 per cent. The hon. Gentleman should sometimes bear in mind that defence is one of the highest priorities of a democratic community.