§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has received the communication from the hon. Member for Newham, North-West concerning the amounts of arms supplied to the Third world during 1977–80 including those supplied by the United Kingdom; and if he will publish in the Official Report the figures from 1980 to the latest and most convenient stated date.
§ Mr. PattieI have received the communication from the hon. Member, but I must tell him that there is no generally accepted definition of the term "Third world countries". Neither does Her Majesty's Government possess details of other nations' arms exports to individual countries. However, taking 45 of the least developed countries listed by the Overseas Development Agency as recipients of British aid during 1981, the value of United Kingdom defence contracts known to us which were signed with these countries since 1980 was as follows:
£ million 1980 53 1981 46 1982 30