§ 44. Mr. Hugh Jenkinsasked the Secretary of State for Defence why his public expenditure White Paper proposes increased military spending at a time when other forms of expenditure are being restrained.
§ Mr. MulleyThe 1979 public expenditure White Paper (Cmnd 7439) does not propose any new increases in the planned level of defence expenditure. It confirms the 3 per cent. increase for 1980–81 which was reviewed in the course of last year's public expenditure survey. This increase and the real increase planned for 1979–80 are in line with the increases being planned by the majority of our NATO Allies to ensure that NATO forces remain able to counter the growing military capability of the Warsaw Pact. The Government's defence policy will be described in detail in the 1979 Statement on the Defence Estimates to be published shortly.