§ Lord Jenkins of Putneyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they consider that a recent estimate that current world military expenditure at constant prices is about 2-5 times above the level of 1960, compared with an increase in gross national product per head of only 0-6 in the same period, is reasonably accurate.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (The Earl of Arran)I regret that it is not possible to comment on the accuracy of this estimate, because Her Majesty's Government makes no estimate of world military expenditure.
§ Lord Jenkins of Putneyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether an estimate (by Ruth Sivard) that military expenditure in the developed countries since 1960 absorbed more than their net gain in economic product is reasonably accurate.
§ The Earl of ArranI regret that it is not possible to comment on the accuracy of this estimate, because Her Majesty's Government does not hold the necessary information on the military expenditure of all the countries concerned.