HC Deb 24 January 1968 vol 757 c127W
95. Mr. Frank Allaun

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the total expenditure on the arms programme in 1967–68 and in each of the five subsequent years at current prices; and whether in any of those years the total will fall below £2,000 million at current prices.

Mr. Healey: Defence

Budget totals for 1967–68, 1968–69 and 1969–70 at 1967 prices, which is the latest basis of price comparison at present available, are

Date Ministry of Defence: from 1.4.64 Ministry of Defence (Central Staffs) Admiralty: from 1.4.64 Ministry of Defence (Navy Department) War Office: from 1.4.64 Ministry of Defence (Army Department) Air Ministry: from 1.4.64 Ministry of Defence (Air Force Department) Total
1.4.46 … … Nil 159,050* 118,900* 80,950* 358,900*
1.4.51 … … 950 128,800* 10.8,800* 65,950* 304,500*
1.4.64 … … 2,200 124,300 198,950 76,000 401,450
1.10.67 … … 4,150 118,700 176,800 65,250 364,900
* Excluding locally engaged staff.

I should point out that the Ministry of Defence did not exist as a separate Ministry in April, 1946; that some 40,000 staff were transferred from the Ministry of Supply to the War Office in 1961; that some 50,000 staff were transferred from the Admiralty, War Office and Air Ministry to the Ministry of Public Building and Works in 1963; that some 400 staff were transferred from the Ministry of Aviation to the Ministry of Defence as a whole in 1965; and that there have also been numerous other transfers of staff between the four organisations.