Defence Estimates (Hansard, 26 October 1988)

Dr. Thomas
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is the source of information on which the statements on pages 56–59 of the annual Statement on the Defence Estimates 1988 that the Soviet Union is probably ahead of the West in specific charged-particle devices, some areas of high energy physics, the use of titanium for submarine construction and the development of mobile ground-based long-range ballistic missiles;
(2) what is the latest information he possesses on the location and site of the production and storage facilities in the Soviet Union of (a) chemical and toxic agents, (b) nuclear warheads, (c) ballistic missile delivery vehicles, (d) terrain contour guided missile vehicles and (e) strategic defence technologies.

§ Mr. Archie Hamilton
It is not the policy of Her Majesty's Government to give details of such information.

Dr. Thomas
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what considerations underlie his policy on publication of line by line costings in the annual Statement on the Defence Estimates.

§ Mr. Archie Hamilton
The costings in the "Statement on the Defence Estimates" are intended, within the constraints of cost and security, to provide Parliament and the public with information relevant to the Government's defence policies.

Dr. Thomas
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the sources of information on which figures for Warsaw pact capability are produced in figures 16, 17, 18 and 19 of the Statement on the Defence Estimates, 1988, Cm. 344–1.

§ Mr. Archie Hamilton
The Warsaw pact does not for the most part produce reliable figures for its military forces. The figures for Warsaw pact capabilities provided in figures 16, 17, 18 and 19 of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1988" (Cm. 344–I) are therefore based principally on internal estimates produced by the Ministry of Defence. The Soviet Union did, however, provide data in connection with the INF treaty and this has been incorporated into figures 18 and 19.

Mr. Thomas
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what basis the 50 per cent. real term growth in Soviet expenditure since 1970 has been calculated, to which reference is made in paragraph 623, page 68 of volume 1 of the Statement on Defence Estimates 1988, Cm.344–1.

§ Mr. Archie Hamilton
The statement on Soviet defence expenditure in paragraph 623 on page 68 of volume 1 "Statement on Defence Estimates 1988" (Cm. 344–1) is based on estimates produced by the Ministry of Defence of total Soviet defence outlays in roubles. In addition, the NATO definition of defence expenditure is used, since the published Soviet defence budget excludes expenditure on items such as the research, development and procurement of equipment.