Jessthedog,
That's not how the Defence vote works!
There is a whole series of alternative assumptions going on all the time, future expenditure is dependent on a whole range of scenarios, at no stage does UK Defence (who ARE they?) actually ASK for anything.
National archives have published similar rantings and ravings, otherwise known as 'alternative assumptions' for the 1970 to 1972 period where planned defence expenditure (by the Tories note!) was to fall year on year from 1971 until 1982. The proposed reductions in the forward equipment programme by the Chiefs of Staff make fascinating reading!
Of course none of this actually happened as the 1973 Arab-Israeli war broke out, the fuel embargo hit, there was a General election and both parties planned massive defence cuts as a consequence. When Labour eventually got in and were confirmed in power they then hit the forces with a HUGE cut in Defence expenditure, which limped on until 1976!