Defence: Finance

Dr. Julian Lewis
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the defence budget in 2006-07 is as a proportion of the gross domestic product (a) inclusive and (b) exclusive of the cost of current conflicts.

Mr. Timms
Forecast of outturn figures for the Defence budget were published at spring supplementary estimates. Annual GDP deflators can be found on the Treasury's website at:

http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/economic_data_and_tools/gdp_deflators/data_gdp_fig.cfm.

The latest forecast figures for the Defence budget 2006/07 will be published at Budget. Final figures will be available in the MOD's annual report and accounts that will be published following the end of the financial year, and will set out the level of the Defence budget as well as the additional cost of military operations.