Mr. John Mark Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received in response to his publication of Trident and the alternatives, and in particular on the relative merits of the Tomahawk missile system and the Trident system; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. StanleyMy Department has received no representations specifically on this matter since the publication of defence open government document No. 87/01 "Trident and the Alternatives" on 30 January. As I said in the debate on the Royal Navy on 2 February at column 708 a United Kingdom minimum deterrent based on either sea-launched or air-launched cruise missiles would be likely to be about double the cost of Trident.
§ Mr. Pikeasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will declassify information relating to the number of warheads for Trident D5.
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§ Mr. StanleyNo. I cannot add to what is said in paragraph 2 of defence open government document No. 87/01 "Trident and the Alternatives", a copy of which is in the Library.
§ Mr. Campbell-Savoursasked the Secretary of State for Defence what is his most recent estimate of total expenditure at present prices for the Polaris rocket motor system.
§ Mr. Archie Hamilton£373 million at 1986–87 prices and £1 = $1.50.
§ Mr. Campbell-Savoursasked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what was the forecast in-service date at the time of first approval for the Trident nuclear missile;
(2) what is the present forecast in-service date for the introduction of the Trident.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonThe United Kingdom Trident II D5 project remains on programme to enter service in the mid 1990s as originally announced by the then Secretary of State for Defence on 11 March 1982.
§ Mr. Campbell-Savoursasked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what was the forecast in-service date at the time of first approval for the Polaris rocket motor system;
(2) what is the present forecast in-service date for the introduction of the Polaris rocket motor system.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonThe deployment of new Polaris rocket motors commenced on time in September 1986.
§ Mr. Campbell-Savoursasked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the estimated cost of Trident at the time the original approval for work was given.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonThe original estimate of United Kingdom Trident II D5 costs was £7,500 million at September 1981 prices and £1 =$1.78.
§ Mr. Campbell-Savoursasked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the extended cost of the Polaris rocket motor system at the time the original approval for work was given.
§ Mr. Archie Hamilton£392 million at 1982–83 prices and £1 = $1.52.
§ Mr. Campbell-Savoursasked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the level of expenditure to 31 March 1986 in terms of outturn prices for Trident.
§ Mr. Archie Hamilton£634 million.
§ Mr. Campbell-Savoursasked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the level of expenditure to 31 March 1986 in terms of outturn prices for the Polaris rocket motor system.
§ Mr. Archie Hamilton£279 million.
§ Mr. Campbell-Savoursasked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the estimated cost of Trident at the time the original approval for work was given updated to present day prices.
§ Mr. Archie Hamilton£10,769 million at 1986–87 prices and £1 = $1.50.
§ Mr. Campbell-Savoursasked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the estimated cost of the Polaris rocket motor system at the time the original approval for work was given, updated to present day prices.
§ Mr. Archie Hamilton£549 million at 1986–87 prices and £1 = $1.50.
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§ Mr. Campbell-Savoursasked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the level of expenditure to 31 March 1986 at present prices for Trident.
§ Mr. Archie Hamilton£708 million.