§ Mr. Ernie Rossasked the Prime Minister what is Her Majesty's Government's current expenditure on research and development on (a) civilian and (b) defence projects.
§ The Prime MinisterThe latest figures for net expenditure by Her Majesty's Government on research and development are the Estimates for the financial year 1981–82. In this period, defence R and D accounted for £1,725 million and civil R and D accounted for £1,591 million. The latest year in which the distinction between current and capital for R and D expenditure is available was 1978–79. In that year defence expenditure on R and D—classed as current—was £1,024 million. The comparable figure for civil R and D was £947 million.
§ Mr. Ernie Rossasked the Prime Minister if she will compare the percentage of Her Majesty's Government's total expenditure on research and development on defence projects with other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries.
§ The Prime MinisterThe comparison requested is available on page 45 of "Science and Technology Indicators—Basic Statistical Series—Volume A"—ref. DSTI/SPR/81.28—of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development which compiled the figures. A copy of this is available in the Library, but it should be noted that the percentages for the United Kingdom for the years 1979, 1980 and 1981 have been revised from 54.6, 54.2, 52.2 to 53.2, 54.1 and 52.0.