Defence Procurement; Proportion of Budget Spent in USA

HL Deb 18 July 1996 vol 574 cc77-8WA

Lord Kennet

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What proportion of the procurement budget currently goes to United States systems and what proportions of the anticipated end-of-the-century defence budget is intended to go to United States weapons systems.

Earl Howe

The Statement on the Defence Estimates 1996 (Cm 3223), Chapter 3, Figure 8, provides a breakdown of the proportion of equipment expenditure in the United Kingdom, overseas and on collaborative projects over the last five years. This indicates that less than 10 per cent. of direct equipment expenditure goes overseas. Expenditure on United States equipment was the largest element of this overseas component. Any change in the United States proportion at the end of the century will be affected by procurement decisions yet to be taken.