Trident (Hansard, 29 November 1988)

§ 59. Mr. Franks
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the current position regarding SSBN 07, Trident 3; and when he expects to place the order.

§ Mr. Younger
The invitation to tender for SSBN 07 was issued to Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd. on 15 March this year. The firm's formal response to this has been delayed by the strike which took place between 8 June and 30 August. It is still planned to place the order for this submarine next year.

§ 82. Mr. Buckley
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the impact of the purchase of Trident on conventional defence spending.

§ Mr. Andrew Smith
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a further statement on the impact of the purchase of Trident on conventional defence spending.

§ Mr. Archie Hamilton
Even at its peak we expect that Trident will absorb less than 6 per cent. of the defence budget. By far the greatest proportion of the defence budget will be available for investment in conventional forces.

§ 123. Mr. Tim Smith
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about progress on the Trident programme.

§ Mr. Sainsbury
I have nothing to add to the answer given today by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence to the hon. Member for Hereford (Mr. Shepherd).

§ Mr. Canavan
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on the implementation to date of the Trident programme.

§ Mr. Younger
The Trident programme continues to time and budget towards its planned in-service date of the mid-1990s. I hope to announce a revised estimate for the Trident programme early in the new year as well as providing a statement on its progress for the Defence Committee and Public Accounts Committee.