§ Lord Brougham and Vauxasked Her Majesty's Government:
What information they have concerning defence industrial production in Russia.
§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Chalker of Wallasey)Russian defence industrial production has fallen sharply in recent years. We estimate that production of light armoured fighting vehicles dropped from some 4,500 in 1989 to 300 in 1993. Production of tanks is estimated to have dropped from 1,700 in 1989 to 200 last year; of fighters and bombers from 525 to 110; and of missiles from 130 to 40. I have placed a more detailed breakdown, with figures for the intervening years, in the Library.