HC Deb 16 April 1996 vol 275 c455W
Mr. Llwyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what amount(a) in total and (b) as a proportion of gross national product was spent on defence in the last year for which figures are available by (i) each NATO country, (ii) Japan, (iii) Switzerland, (iv) Finland and (v) Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [25008]

Mr. Soames

Details of defence expenditure by NATO countries in 1994 are contained in page 82 of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1995", a copy of which is in the Library of the House. According toThe Military Balance 1995/96, compiled by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, comparable information for Japan, Switzerland, Finland and Ireland is as follows:

Defence expenditure 1994 $ million As percentage of GDP
Japan 45,800 1.0
Switzerland 4,300 1.6
Finland 1,970 2.0
Ireland 622 1.2

Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list, for each European member of NATO, defence expenditure expressed(a) by proportion of gross national product and (b) on a per capita basis. [25398]

Mr. Soames

This information is contained in page 82 of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1995", a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

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