§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for Defence why there has been a reduction of real research and 74W development expenditure on guided weapons from £148 million in 1973–74 to £105 million in 1978–79.
§ Dr. GilbertIn both years the pattern of expenditure involves a large number of individual guided weapon projects at various stages of development. In a programme of this kind I would expect to see fluctuations of expenditure over a period but I am examining the figures in more detail and will write to the hon. Member if anything useful can be added.