§ Lord Hill-NortonMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
The Question was as follows:
To ask Her Majesty's Government by how much and in which respects have our teeth arms been increased as a result of the promised increase in defence spending since the last general election.
§ The Earl of AvonMy Lords, the promised increase in defence spending has taken place. The defence budget for 1981–82 will be 8 per cent. higher in real terms than in the last year of the previous Administration. In the same period substantial increases in our teeth arms have been achieved. The regular armed forces are 20,000 stronger and the volunteer reserves 7,000 higher than when we took office. The Government have announced the decision to purchase Trident as the replacement for Polaris, and other major new equipment programmes. An additional armoured regiment has been formed in BAOR and the number of tanks manned has risen from 475 to 560.
§ Lord Hill-NortonMy Lords, may I say how flattered I am that in 24 hours I have moved up the scale of nobility from a Viscount to an Earl to reply to my Question! Would the noble Earl agree that the reply which he has given refers to what may take place in the future rather than answering my Question, which is what has taken place in the last 21 months?
§ The Earl of AvonMy Lords, I thank the noble and gallant Lord for the compliment about a rise in the peerage. I did state that the regular armed forces are 20,000 stronger and that the volunteer forces are 7,000 higher than when we took office. I also said that an additional armoured regiment had been formed in BAOR and the number of tanks manned has risen.
The Earl of SelkirkMy Lords, can my noble friend confirm that two hunter killer nuclear submarines will be ordered this year?
§ The Earl of AvonMy Lords, so far as naval arms are concerned, we have, as I am sure the noble Earl is aware, planned orders for ships for next year, and tenders for the coming year under consideration include a nuclear-powered fleet submarine, two frigates and minesweeping trawlers, among other vessels.