HL Deb 06 July 1978 vol 394 c1296WA
Lord HAMPTON

asked Her Majesty's Government:

  1. (a) what percentage of the GNP of each NATO country is allocated for defence expenditure currently;
  2. (b) what percentage of the GNP of the United Kingdom will be allocated when recently agreed increases in defence expenditure come into force.

Lord WINTERBOTTOM

I would refer the noble Lord to the table on page 15 of theStatement on the Defence Estimates 1978 (Cmnd. 7099) which gives the latest available comparisons of defence expenditure among the NATO member countries. The percentage of GDP to be devoted to defence in future in the light of the Government's published defence expenditure plans will depend upon the rate of growth of the economy and upon relative movements of defence costs against domestic prices

House adjourned at twelve minutes past nine o'clock.