Expenditure

HC Deb 28 July 1980 vol 989 cc530-1W

Mr. Frank Allaun

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will provide figures showing approximately the percentage of world military expenditure for 1979 for the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and the Warsaw Pact Powers, respectively.

Mr. Pym

Some countries do not publish any figures for military spending. Others, like the Soviet Union, as I explained to the hon. Member for Keighley (Mr. Cryer) on 7 July—[Col. 53–4]—publish only unreliable figures. Tt is, therefore, not possible to provide a complete total for world military expenditure.

Mr. David Young

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what amount, as a percentage of the gross national product, was allocated in each of the last 10 years to date to defence spending; and how this compares with each of the other EEC countries, Japan and the United States of America.

Mr. Pym

The information requested is set out below. The NATO definition of defence expenditure, which is broader than the United Kingdom's, has been used throughout, and gross domestic

PERCENTAGE OF GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT DEVOTED TO DEFENCE EXPENDITURE
Year
Country		1970	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975	1976	1977	1978	1979
United Kingdom	…	4.8	4.9	5.2	4.8	5.1	5.0	5.0	4.8	4.7	4.9
Belgium	…	2.9	2.9	2.9	2.8	2.8	31	3.1	3.2	3.3	3.3
Denmark	…	2.3	2.4	2.2	2.0	2.3	2.4	2.3	2.3	2.4	2.4
France	…	4.2	4.0	3.9	3.8	3.7	3.8	3.8	3.9	4.0	4.0
Germany	…	3.3	3.4	3.5	3.5	3.6	3.6	3.5	3.4	3.4	3.3
Italy	…	2.5	2.7	2.9	2.7	2.6	2.5	2.3	2.4	2.4	2.3
Luxembourg	…	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.1	1.0
Netherlands	…	3.5	3.4	3.4	3.3	3.3	3.5	3.3	3.5	3.3	3.3
United States	…	7.9	7.1	6.6	6.0	6.1	6.0	5.4	5.4	5.1	5.2

Mr. Churchill

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how much was actually spent on defence in the year 1979–80 at current year prices; what is the planned level of expenditure for 1980–81; and what percentage increase this represents in real terms.

Mr. Pym

Final 1979–80 accounts are not yet available, but defence expenditure is expected to be very close to the total Estimates provision of £9,183 million. The 1980–81 defence Estimates total £10,949 million at forecast outturn prices; the defence cash limit will be reviewed to take account of the Armed Forces' pay award, and an announcement will be made in due course. The Government remain committed to aim for annual increases in defence spending in the region of 3 per cent. in real terms.