Equipment Expenditure

Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Defence – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 18 Rhagfyr 1973.

Danfonwch hysbysiad imi am ddadleuon fel hyn

Photo of Sir John Morris Sir John Morris , Aberafan 12:00, 18 Rhagfyr 1973

As the Minister, on his own confession, has little idea where the £178 million cut in defence expenditure is to be made, and as it is as a figure no more than one plucked from the air to placate the Treasury, will he reconsider the galloping expenditure on research and development which in 1970 was £222 million and which in the current year is £418 million, an increase of over £100 million in the same figure terms over two years? Will he try to deploy some of that research and development capability in tackling the needs of fuel supply?