tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21959228.post2797803971615348396..comments2024-03-28T09:14:52.110+00:00Comments on Sinclair's Musings: Defence spendingMatthew Sinclairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05948452770723874618noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21959228.post-72664152632290096102007-10-10T20:04:00.000+01:002007-10-10T20:04:00.000+01:00The use of a relative measure - GDP - is weak here...The use of a relative measure - GDP - is weak here. The economy might be growing faster than defence spending, after all.<BR/><BR/>MoD are trying to make efficiency savings - 5% across the board with 25% at head office - but, even with the sale of Chelsea Barracks to improve accommodation for troops, the defence budget is under a lot of strain - the recent purchase of 140 Mastiffs, CV(F), Typhoon and the UORs that keep being issued - and I think that large programmes, like FRES, are going to be delayed until at least the next CSR and possibly cancelled.Dave Colehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14607982331690895063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21959228.post-24131057205450899092007-10-09T19:32:00.000+01:002007-10-09T19:32:00.000+01:00It's only true in real terms over the longer term....It's only true in real terms over the longer term. If you add up all the numbers in table B13 for defence (current and capital budgets plus "unallocated special reserve") you get sub-inflationary increases for two years followed by healthy spikes in the two years after that (figs <A HREF="http://elliottjoseph.blogspot.com/2007/10/pre-budget-report-defence-spending.html" REL="nofollow">here</A>). <BR/><BR/>Otherwise I agree with everything you say.Elliotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12576152095883676171noreply@blogger.com