§ Mr. Concannonasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give the percentage breakdown of the defence budget so far as it is expended on (a) wages and salaries, (b) pensions, welfare, etc., (c) conventional weapons and (d) the nuclear deterrent.
§ Mr. PymSome 37 per cent. of Estimates, as presented to Parliament in February this year, relates to Service and civilian pay and allowances, 51½per cent. to Service pensions—civilian pensions are not a charge to the defence budget—and 37 per cent. to sea, land and air equipment systems. £126 million, or about 1½per cent. of the defence budget, is devoted to the nuclear deterrent. £372 million, or 4½ per cent. of the defence budget is devoted to education—mainly of Service children, married accommodation and medical services. The figures of£126 million and £372 million are on a functional basis and thus include personnel costs.