HC Deb 26 March 1979 vol 965 c62W
Mr. Churchill

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is now the cumulative total of defence expenditure cuts since the present Government came to office, compared with 1974 planned expenditure expressed in terms of 1978 survey prices.

Mr. Mulley

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Petersfield (Mr. Mates) on 6 February 1979. —[Vol. 962, c. 152–54.] From this he will see that the defence review led to savings totalling £9.5 billion at 1978 survey prices in the years up to 1983–84. In addition, a total of £1.4 billion has been saved up to 1978–79 by other reductions, mainly as a result of decisions subsequent to the defence review.