HC Deb 01 August 1978 vol 955 cc302-3W
Mr. Critchley

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list (a) the major equipment which the United Kingdom expects to replace in the next 10 years and (b) the current joint production and joint procurement projects in which the United Kingdom is participating, with the names of other countries participating in each case; what is the estimated total cost to the United Kingdom of its share of each joint project, and the amount spent on each in each of the past five years and what was the total expenditure on all joint projects in each of the last five years;

(2) for each of the last five years what was (a) the total defence budget, (b) the amount devoted to procurement, including research and development, (c) the amount devoted to research and development and (d) the amount devoted to research alone;

(3) what percentage of total procurement expenditure, including research and development, is devoted to procurement of jointly produced or jointly procured items.

Mr. Mulley

As to our future equipment plans, I would refer the hon. Member to the review in chapter 3 of the Statement on the Defence Estimates 1978 (Cmnd. 7099). The more important collaborative projects in which the United Kingdom is participating include:

Sea Systems and Countries Participating

  • Tyne/Olympus logistic support—BE/NL/UK.
  • Olympus gas turbine support—FR/UK.
  • Seagnat—anti-ship missile decoy system—DK/ FRG/NO/UK/US.
  • NATO Anti-surface ship missile—FR/FRG/NL/NO/UK.

Land Systems

  • CVR(T) Family—tracker armoured vehicles—BE/UK.
  • SP 70–155mm self-propelled gun—FRG/IT/UK.

£ million at estimated prices for the year concerned
1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79
Defence Budget … … … 3,667* 4,548 5,632 6,329 6,919
Equipment … … … 1,343 1,529 1,990 2,350 2,770
Procurement … … … 1,498 1,734 2,243 2,637 3,060
R & D allocation … … … 456 554 702 826 876
Research allocation … … 66 86 107 129 129
* Subsequently reduced to £3,612 million in July 1974.

At the prices ruling in each year, expenditure on collaborative projects was expected to be £540 million in 1978–79 and £450 million in 1977–78. In both cases this was just below one-fifth of the total allocation for equipment.

I regret that in the time available it has not been possible to provide the additional information requested.