HC Deb 09 January 1996 vol 269 c93W
15. Mr. Dover

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received on the effect on the deterrent capability of United Kingdom forces of reducing spending on defence to the European average. [6354]

Mr. Soames

Reducing defence expenditure to the current NATO European average of 2.5 per cent. of GDP would result in cuts of as much as £4 billion per year. Such a dramatic reduction would drastically undermine the capabilities of the armed forces.