Defence Expenditure (Hansard, 7 April 1981)

§ Mr. Churchill
asked the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the annual level of defence expenditure expressed in constant prices since 1950 to date; and what is his present estimate for each year to 1985.

§ Mr. Pattie
The information requested is set out below. Actual expenditure figures before 1964–65 are not available at constant prices, so the figures given for 1950–51 to 1963–64 are the original estimates. Expenditure plans for 1981–82 to 1983–84 are those published in Cmnd. 8175. The Government have not yet published any public expenditure plans for 1984–85.

£ million (1980 survey prices)

Estimates^* Actual^* Planned

1950–51 7,316 — —

1951–52 9,754 — —

1952–53 11,147 — —

1953–54 11,917 — —

1954–55 12,176 — —

1956–57 10,868 — —

1957–58 9,972 — —

250W

Estimates^* Actual^* Planned

1958–59 10,012 — —

1959–60 9,966 — —

1960–61 10,304 — —

1961–62 10,218 — —

1962–63 10,417 — —

1963–64 10,663 — —

1964–65 — 10,516 —

1965–66 — 10,667 —

1966–67 — 10,730 —

1967–68 — 10,696 —

1968–69 — 10,170 —

1969–70 — 9,582 —

1970–71 — 9,542 —

1971–72 — 9,638 —

1972–73 — 9,515 —

1973–74 — 9,386 —

1974–75 — 9,010 —

1975–76 — 9,424 —

1976–77 — 9,250 —

1977–78 — 9,036 —

1978–79 — 8,972 —

1979–80 — 9,243 —

1980–81 — 9,750† —

1981–82 — — 9,753

1982–83 — — 10,051

1983–84 — — 10,353

^* The figures take no account of changes in the definition of the defence budget over the past 30 years.

† Provisional.

§ Mr. Churchill
asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the percentage of Government expenditure devoted to defence in each year since 1950 and in planned expenditure to 1985.

§ Mr. Speed
The information requested is set out below. The figures from 1950 to 1962 are from national accounts statistics. They show military defence expenditure as a percentage of total general Government expenditure. From 1963–64 the percentage of total public expenditure represented by the defence budget outturn or plans is shown. No public expenditure plans have been published for the years beyond 1983–84.

Per cent.

1950 19.1

1951 22.0

1952 26.4

1953 26.6

1954 26.0

1955 23.8

1956 23.1

1957 21.1

1958 19.3

1959 18.6

1960 18.2

1961 17.7

1962 17.7

1963–64 17.3

1964–65 16.7

1965–66 16.3

1966–67 15.4

1967–68 13.8

1968–69 13.4

1969–70 12.6

1970–71 12.8

1971–72 12.9

1972–73 12.3

1973–74 11.9

1974–75 10.6

1975–76 10.7

1976–77 11.2

1977–78 11.6

251W

Per cent.

1978–79 10.9

1979–80 11.2

1980–81 ^*11.6

1981–82 †11.5

1982–83 †12.l

1983–84 †12.7

^* Provisional.

† Based on Cmnd. 8175 "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1981–82 to 1983–84".

£ million (1980 survey prices)
	Estimates^*	Actual^*	Planned
1950–51	7,316	—	—
1951–52	9,754	—	—
1952–53	11,147	—	—
1953–54	11,917	—	—
1954–55	12,176	—	—
1956–57	10,868	—	—
1957–58	9,972	—	—

	Per cent.
1950	19.1
1951	22.0
1952	26.4
1953	26.6
1954	26.0
1955	23.8
1956	23.1
1957	21.1
1958	19.3
1959	18.6
1960	18.2
1961	17.7
1962	17.7
1963–64	17.3
1964–65	16.7
1965–66	16.3
1966–67	15.4
1967–68	13.8
1968–69	13.4
1969–70	12.6
1970–71	12.8
1971–72	12.9
1972–73	12.3
1973–74	11.9
1974–75	10.6
1975–76	10.7
1976–77	11.2
1977–78	11.6

	Per cent.
1978–79	10.9
1979–80	11.2
1980–81	^*11.6
1981–82	†11.5
1982–83	†12.l
1983–84	†12.7
^* Provisional.
† Based on Cmnd. 8175 "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1981–82 to 1983–84".