asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total cost of defence in 1978; and how this compares with 1973.

Table 2.1 of the 1979 Public Expenditure White Paper—Cmnd 7439—shows, at 1978 survey prices, a forecast out-turn for the 1978–79 defence budget of £6,872 million and, at the same price base, a final out-turn for 1973–74 of £7,039 million.