§ Dr. McDonaldasked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is the current average cost per job created by the defence equipment programme;
(2) what is the current average cost per job created by the defence equipment programme in (a)ordnance and small arms, including explosives, (b) instrument engineering, (c) radio and electronics, (d) shipbuilding and marine engineering and (e) aerospace equipment.
§ Mr. PattieThe primary purpose of the defence equipment programme is to meet the equipment requirements of the Armed Forces; furthermore, increased Government spending does not lead to a permanently lower level of unemployment.
During calendar year 1980, the latest complete year for which figures are available, we estimate that, for the major United Kingdom defence contractors, average sales per employee were as follows:
93W
Sales/Head £ Ordnance, Small Arms and Explosives 22,000 Instrument Engineering 13,000 Radio and Electronic components 17,000 Radio, radar and electronic capital goods Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering 13,000 Aerospace equipment 21,000 We also estimate that for the United Kingdom defence industries as a whole, average sales per employee were £18,000. In these statistics it is not possible to distinguish civil from military sales—or, in the case of military sales, to distinguish export sales from sales to Her Majesty's Government.