§ Mr. CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to publish the estimates for defence expenditure; and if he will make a statement. [4756]
§ Dr. ReidEstimates of defence expenditure in the current financial year are contained in "Supply Estimates 1997–98: Main Estimates", which were published in March this year. As I explained in my written reply to the hon. and learned Member for North-East Fife, (Mr. Campbell) on 3 June,Official Report, column 121), we do not intend this year to publish a forward looking statement of policy in the form of a Statement on the Defence Estimates (SDE). Factual material on the activities of my Department and the Armed Forces in the last year, which is usually contained in the SDE, will however, appear in an expanded MOD Performance Report which the Department plans to publish in the Autumn.