HC Deb 04 March 1993 vol 220 cc447-8
13. Mr. Gordon Prentice

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what criteria were used to select the four Government Departments to be included in the public expenditure reviews.

Mr. Portillo

The Government will be reviewing the expenditure of every Department before the end of this Parliament. The four Departments chosen to start the review process are among the largest and the fastest growing.

Mr. Prentice

Is there not a case, notwithstanding "Options for Change", for including defence in the public expenditure reviews, especially since the Financial Times tells us that this economically battered nation spends 4 per cent. of its gross domestic product on defence, compared with 3.4 per cent. by France and 2.2 per cent. by Germany? Is there not a case for the Government paying heed to the injunctions of the Financial Times?

Mr. Portillo

"Options for Change" was a very important review indeed, and I do not think that it is yet timely to go back over that. The hon. Gentleman would be making a reasonable point if he were to say that we should always keep our defence spending under review and in line with our world commitments. On the other hand, as the hon. Gentleman is a former leader of the Fulham and Hammersmith council, which doubled the rates overnight, I am loth to take lectures on public spending from him.