§ Mr. Trotterasked the Secretary of State for Defence what will be the reduction in the strength of the Army element of the specialised reinforcement forces for NATO as a result of the proposed abandonment of the United Kingdom Joint Airborne Task Force and reduction of the United Kingdom Mobile Force to one brigade group.
§ Mr. Robert C. BrownAt present we maintain as specialised reinforcement forces for NATO one division of three airportable brigades with divisional troops and logistic support in the UKMF(L); a parachute brigade of two battalions in the UKJATFOR; one SAS regiment; and our contribution to AMF(L) based on one infantry battalion group, an armoured reconnaissance squadron and supporting units. The changes announced in the recent White Paper on Defence (Cmnd. 5976) will reduce these capabilities to one air-portable formation equivalent to a reinforced brigade group, which we intend will have a limited parachute capability. Our contribution to the AMF(L) will be unchanged. As was stated in answers to the hon. Member on 19th December, it is not our practice to release details of the strengths of these forces.—[Vol. 883, c. 562–63.]
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§ Mr. Onslowasked the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the United Kingdom contribution to the NATO budget in each of the past 10 years; and how much, in each year, has been attributable to military, civil and infrastructure expenditure, respectively.
§ Mr. MasonThe information is as follows:
£ £ 1965–66 Military Budget 3,806,230 Civil Budget 929,866 Infrastructure 4,718,148 9,454,244 1966–67 Military Budget 5,293,693 Civil Budget 918,998 Infrastructure 5,702,636 11,915,327 1967–68 Military Budget 6,854,028 Civil Budget 1,490,068 Infrastructure 6,754,361 15,098,457 1968–69 Military Budget 5,263,742 Civil Budget 1,086,589 Infrastructure 8,004,792 14,355,123 1969–70 Military Budget 5,726,293 Civil Budget 1,219,000 Infrastructure 7,143,533 14,088,826 1970–71 Military Budget 6,679,085 Civil Budget 1,941,000 Infrastructure 7,353,155 15,97 3,240 1971–72 Military Budget 7,340,503 Civil Budget 1,616,000 Infrastructure 5,692,769 14,649,272 1972–73 Military Budget 8,523,834 Civil Budget 1,738,193 Infrastructure 17,876,546 28,138,573 1973–74 Military Budget 9,686,549 Civil Budget 2,249,102 Infrastructure 15,910,276 27,845,927 1974–75* Military Budget 10,829,384 Civil Budget 2,776,731 Infrastructure 20,613,000 34,219,115 * Estimate. The figures may be subject to adjustment before the Accounts are closed.