HC Deb 12 March 1971 vol 813 c180W
Mr. Deakins

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will list those national interests requiring defence expenditure which cause the United Kingdom to spend 5.9 per cent. of its gross national product on defence, when the comparable figure for West Germany is 4.1 per cent.

Lord Balniel

National interests requiring defence expenditure are a matter for Governments to determine in the light of circumstances. Those of Her Majesty's Government are set out in the Supplementary Statement on Defence Policy (Cmnd. 4521) and the Statement on the Defence Estimates 1971 (Cmnd. 4592). It is not for me to comment on the defence policy of the Federal German Republic.

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