§ Mr. Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if, following the recent Budget, he will give his estimate of the total real level of his Department's budget, in 1995–96 prices, in(a) 1997–98 and (b) 1998–99; if he will estimate what such figures were for (1) 1997–98 and (2) 1998–99 following the November 1996 Budget on the basis of the estimates of the GDP deflator contained in that Budget; and if he will make a statement. [8301]
§ Dr. Reid[holding answer 14 July 1997]: The information is as shown in the following table:
£ million 1997–98 1998–99 Current spending plans (cash) 21,822 22,276 Plans at 1995–96 prices (July 1997 GDP deflators) 20,668 20,533 Plans at 1995–96 prices (November 1996 GDP deflators) 20,872 20,889
§ Mr. BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what new plans he has to introduce cuts and savings in his Department as a result of the effect on his Department's budgets for 1997–98 and 1998–99 of the upward revisions to the GDP deflator in the Budget on 2 July; and if he will make a statement. [8302]
§ Dr. Reid[holding answer 14 July 1997]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Nottingham, South (Mr. Simpson) on 28 July 1997, Official Report, column 14.