HC Deb 29 March 1976 vol 908 c391W
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is the estimated cost of Scotland's current contribution to the maintenance of the Royal Air Force; and what was its contribution to the mainteance of the British Army from 1960 to 1975, giving the exact percentage for each year;

(2) what is the estimated cost of Scotland's current contribution to the maintenance of the British Navy; and what was its contribution to the maintenance of the Royal Navy from 1960 to 1975, giving the exact percentage for each year;

(3) what proportion of defence spending proposed over the next five years is attributable to the population of Scotland, broken down as between the Army, the Royal Navy, and the Royal Air Force, respectively;

(4) what is the estimated cost of Scotland's current contribution to the maintenance of the British Army; and what was its contribution from 1960 to 1975, giving the exact percentage for each year.

Mr. Mason

For defence purposes the United Kingdom is treated as a single entity and most of the statistics requested are therefore not available. A broad estimate of defence expenditure by region is, however, maintained. For 1974–75, the last year available, expenditure in Scotland amounted to about 6½ per cent. of the whole, as compared to 77½ per cent. for England.