HC Deb 01 May 1968 vol 763 c197W
Mr. Wall

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the rôle of Great Britain's amphibious forces after the completion of the withdrawal from East of Suez.

Mr. Healey

We are examining the rôle of our amphibious forces in the N.A.T.O. setting as part of our current

$M.
1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69
Expenditure on U.S. Defence Equipment 58 74 83 148 185*

Against this, U.K. receipts from sales of equipment to the United States during the period are estimated as follows:—

$M.
1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69
—† 5 4 24 49*
* Estimate.
† Not available.

It is not the practice to give forecasts of such expenditure beyond the Estimates year. There were no cancellation costs during the four years 1964–65–1967–68. For 1968–69, the position on F.111 cancellation charges remains as in my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence's reply to the hon. Member for Cardigan (Mr. Elystan Morgan) on 18th January. The expenditure figure quoted above includes no provision for these charges.—[Vol. 756. c. 666.]