Expenditure

Mr. Tebbit

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list for every year since 1945 (a) the total defence budget and (b) spending on defence per capita of the population, both expressed in constant 1970 prices.

The information is as follows:

Year	Defence Budget Estimates (£m. at 1970–71 Estimates prices)^*	Defenc Estimates per head of population (£.at 1970–7 Estimates prices)
1946–47	4,745	100
1947–48	2,395	50
1948–49	1,715	35
1949–50	1,785	35
1950–51	1,835	40
1951–52	2,400	50
1952–53	2,795	55
1953–54	2,990	60
1954–55	3,055	60
1955–56	2,840	55
1956–57	2,725	55
1957–58	2,500	50
1958–59	2,510	50
1959–60	2,500	50
1960–61	2,585	50
1961–62	2,565	50
1962–63	2,615	50
1963–64	2,675	50
1964–65	2,818	52
1965–66	2,883	53
1966–67	2,785	51
1967–68	2,727	50
1968–69	2,672	49
1969–70	2,541	46
1970–71†	2,387	43
1971–72	2,336	42
1972–73	2,390	43
1973–74	2,525	45
1974–75	2,369	42
1975–76	2,390	43
1976–77	2,400	43
1977–78	2,321	41
^* Because of changes in the content of the defence programme, the revalued figures in the earlier years are only an approximate indication of what the programme planned in those years would have cost at 1970–71 prices.
† Revised Estimates figure taking into account the introduction of the Military Salary.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the capital expenditure on defence, per capita of the population, in each NATO country at the latest available date.

Expenditure per head of population on major equipment for each of the NATO countries during the calendar year 1977 is estimated to be:

	US Dollars^*
Belgium	25
Canada	15
Denmark	35
Federal Republic of Germany	40
Italy	10
Luxembourg	(less than 5)
Netherlands	45
Norway	45
Portugal	(less than 5)
United Kingdom	45
United States of America	100
^*(current prices and exchange rates)

(Figures for France, Greece and Turkey are not available)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department has yet produced more reliable and up to date figures for the direct employment effects of defence expenditure than the 1976 figures produced in the Minister of State's reply to the right hon. Member for Farnham's questions of 15th May; if these have been produced, if he will publish them in the Official Report under the Standard Industrial Classifications; and if, more recent figures are not yet available, whether his Department will take steps to prepare some at the earliest possible opportunity.

I hope to produce figures for 1977 in the autumn, but unfortunately the necessary data will not be available before then.

Volume 955: debated on Thursday 3 August 1978