CONSERVATIVE
New Forest East

DEFENCE (FRONT BENCH) – DEFENCE SPENDING - 22 October 2007

DEFENCE (FRONT BENCH) – DEFENCE SPENDING - 22 October 2007

Dr Julian Lewis: Have not the Government failed in their attempts since 2004 to produce a defence-specific inflation index? They keep trumpeting the fact that they have given the armed forces 1.5 per cent. more than the general level of inflation, but the Royal United Services Institute calculates that defence equipment projects run at 5 to 10 per cent. above the general level of inflation. Does that not mean that the Government's claim that they are spending more on defence in real terms is simply a load of hogwash?