Mr. C. WILLIAMSasked the Secretary of State for Air what have been the total amounts spent in the years 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926, and 1927, respectively, on the Air Force by America, Britain, France, Italy, and Japan?
624W
§ Sir S. HOAREAs regards British air expenditure in the years in question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the published Appropriations Accounts for the years 1923 to 1926, inclusive, and to Air Estimates for 1927. As regards expenditure in the foreign countries cited, as I have previously explained, the Air Force expenditure in those countries which do not maintain a separate air service is borne to a consideration extent upon their main Army and Navy Votes and cannot be segregated from general military and naval expenditure. Such official information on the subject as is available will be found in the appropriate sections of the League of Nations Armaments Year Book for 1928, and previous years.
§ Sir O. MOSLEYasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the increase in expenditure on the Army, Navy and Air Force services between the years 1923–24 and 1927–28 in real values when allowance has been made for the fall in the cost of living?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe hon. Baronet will find the figures of expenditure on the Army, Navy and Air Force from the years 1923 to 1928 in the White Paper issued with the Budget Statement (House of Commons Paper 64 of 1928) and in the annual Appropriation Accounts. Allowance must. he made in these comparisons for the variations in the accounting practice for Middle East expenditure. Between 1923 and 1928 the Ministry of Labour index figure for the cost of living in this country fell from 174 to 166. This figure has, however, no bearing on the greater portion of the expenditure by the three Service Departments.