§ Mr. Madelasked the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the effect on employment of the loss in orders from Iran and from the United States of America as a result of the cutbacks in their defence expenditure.
§ Mr. MulleySo far as defence contracts with Iran are concerned, I have nothing to add to what my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs said in the House on 20 February.—[Vol. 963, c. 266.]
So far as the United States is concerned, there has recently been a welcome reaffirmation by the United States Government of their intention to meet the NATO aim of increasing defence expenditure by 3 per cent. in real terms next year. Final decisions on the composition of the United States defence budget for 1980 have, however, still to be taken by Congress.