§ Mr. Campbell-Savoursasked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the cost of the VHF communication system to the Trident submarine programme.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonVHF communications form a very small part of the Trident submarine's tactical weapon system which itself accounts for 21 per cent, of the overall Trident project estimate. There are no shore-based VHF communications provided specifically for Trident.
§ Mr. McNamaraasked the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 15 January, Official Report, column 81, to the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull, North, how much has already been spent on Trident at 1986–87 prices.
§ Mr. Archie Hamilton£970 million.
Mr. McNamara asked the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer on 5 February to the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull, North, Official Report, column 803, how much was spent on the Trident 138W programme from the beginning of financial year 1986–87 (a) until the end of December 1986 and (b) until the end of January 1987.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonActual expenditure figures for the project as a whole are not available beyond November 1986. The estimated expenditure from April 1986 to December 1986 and January 1987 is some £210 million and £260 million respectively.
§ Mr. McNamaraasked the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 15 January, Official Report, column 90, to the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull, North, how much has been contractually committed to Trident at 1986–87 prices.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonSome £2,830 million is estimated to have been committed at 1986–87 prices.
§ Mr. McNamaraasked the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the Trident programme to be completed; and if he will break down the expenditure either spent or predicted to be spent according to five-year terms ending in financial years 1984–85, 1989–90, 1994–95 and 1999–2000.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonI refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the then Minister of State for Defence Procurement to the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Ashdown) on 21 June 1985 —[Official Report, c. 247].
§ Mr. McNamaraasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate the level of Trident spending in each year up to 1985–86 using 1986–87 prices and the exchange rates involved in the payments in question.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonI will answer shortly.
§ Mr. McNamaraasked the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the funds contractually committed to Trident, but not yet spent, are committed to contractors in the United States of America.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonSome ?370 million has been committed to, but not yet spent with, United States contractors.