Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Trident Renewal

Monday 15 May 2023 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Dreadnought submarine programme remains within overall budget and is on track for the first of class, HMS Dreadnought, to enter service in the early 2030s.
  • The Secretary of StateCoulportLoch Long
  • SNP

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Neale Hanvey
Defence
Context

The question arises from the ongoing scrutiny of the Trident nuclear deterrent system, specifically its renewal and associated costs.

Question

What recent estimate his Department has made of the (a) timescale and (b) cost of the renewal of Trident. The Dreadnought submarine programme remains within overall budget but lacks detailed cost estimates for the replacement warhead programme due to preliminary phases.

Answer from James Cartlidge

The Dreadnought submarine programme remains within overall budget and on track for the first of class, HMS Dreadnought, to enter service in the early 2030s. As the programme is in its preliminary phases, it is too early to provide cost estimates for the replacement warhead programme.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The questioner asked for specific timescale and cost estimates but received a statement that it is premature to give such details due to the project being in preliminary phases.

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Q2 Neale Hanvey
Defence
Context

A whistleblower raised serious radiation breach concerns at Coulport on Loch Long in November last year, and the Secretary of State promised a detailed written response which has not been provided despite follow-ups.

Question

The financial cost of weapons of mass destruction is one thing; the potential human cost from radiation leaks is quite another. On 7 November last year, I raised concerns from a whistleblower about a serious radiation breach at Coulport on Loch Long. The Secretary of State promised that he would provide a detailed written response. Despite my persistence, six months later I have still not had a reply, other than a leak to the media saying: “The alleged radiation incident referred to…did not” take place. Will the Secretary of State confirm today from the Dispatch Box whether HMNB Clyde staff were moved from building 201 in Coulport to building 41 elsewhere due to a serious radiation breach?

Answer from James Cartlidge

Obviously, I will have to look into the matter and will write to the hon. Gentleman further. I would make one point. He talked about the other costs. If I may, while the SNP has a merely quirky position of unilateral nuclear disarmament but supposedly remaining in NATO, the position of the Alba party is both nuclear disarmament and withdrawal from NATO. What would be the cost of that policy? In the light of the current situation where Russia has invaded Ukraine, what would happen if we were to announce our withdrawal from NATO?

Not addressed: The questioner asked for confirmation on staff relocation due to a radiation breach but received a response questioning other political positions and their implications.

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