§ Mr. Georgeasked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total of receipts from arms sales accruing to the Government for each year since 1974; and what information he has as to the total accruing to industry for the same years.
§ Mr. Ian StewartReceipts from Government defence sales overseas in the years 1974–75 to 1982–83 were:
262W
£ million 1974–75 147 1975–76 159 1976–77 184 1977–78 235 1978–79 285 1979–80 230 construction and underwater warfare and (e) ordnance and other Army equipment; and if he will express each figure as a percentage of the total defence budget.
§ Mr. Ian StewartDetails of expenditure on research and development in each of these areas is shown at 1978 survey prices in table A. Table B shows this expenditure as a percentage of the defence budget for the years in question.
£ million 1980–81 256 1981–82 408 1982–83 *450 * provisional. The value of sales of defence equipment overseas by private industry in these years is estimated to be:
£ million 1974–75 320 1975–76 370 1976–77 415 1977–78 565 1978–79 785 1979–80 955 1980–81 1,345 1981–82 1,540 1982–83 * 1,950 * provisional.
§ Mr. Georgeasked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the value of sales (a) to the Ministry of Defence and (b) abroad from the royal ordnance factories; and if he will express this as a percentage of exports of defence equipment.
§ Mr. Ian StewartThe latest forecast of the value of sales by the royal ordnance factories in 1982–83 is £448 million, of which:
- (a) £226 million was for sales of equipment to MOD for the Services;
- (b) £192 million was for sales abroad; and
- (c) £30 million for sub-contract work to United Kingdom commercial firms.
The figure at (b) represents about 8 per cent. of forecast total United Kingdom defence sales in that year.