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 Mr Ian Gilmour Mr Ian Gilmour , Norfolk Central 12:00, 18 Rhagfyr 1973

The right hon. and learned Gentleman was not quite fair in his earlier remarks. I said that we had not yet settled the final details of where the cuts will land. We know that £16 million will come from capital expenditure and the rest from procurement.

The right hon. and learned Gentleman knows that a lot of research and development goes on the MRCA and sophisticated weapon equipment. Obviously that is a matter to which we should pay attention. It is not something which we can scrap or cut savagely without serious consequences elsewhere.