§ 72. Mr. Wingfield Digbyasked the Minister of Defence how the total of defence expenditure for 1959–60 compares in real terms with that envisaged under the rearmament programme of 1950 equivalent to £4,700 million over three years or about £1,570 million a year, taking into account increases in pay, wages, and prices.
§ Mr. NeaveI have been asked to reply.
The net Defence Estimates for 1959–60 amount to £1,502 million. This is the equivalent of about £1,000 million, at 1950 prices.
§ 73. Mr. Wingfield Digbyasked the Minister of Defence what percentage of the gross national product is now absorbed by defence; and how this compares with two years ago.
§ Mr. NeaveI have been asked to reply.
Defence expenditure for 1958–59 is expected to absorb about 7.5 per cent. of the gross national product as compared with about 8.4 per cent. in 1956–57. This represents a reduction of about 11 per cent. during the past two years.