§ 25. Mr. WelshTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the progress of the Trident programme.
§ Mr. AitkenThe Trident programme is on time and within budget and continues to make satisfactory progress towards its in-service date of the mid-1990s.
§ 28. Mr. McFallTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with the PSA on the progress of the Trident construction project at the Clyde submarine base.
§ Mr. AitkenMinisters maintain a close oversight over all aspects of the Trident programme, including construction at the Clyde submarine base, on which we are regularly briefed by MOD's project managers, PSA projects. I am having further correspondence and discussions with the PSA about matters raised by the hon. Member for Dumbarton in the House on 21 May,Official Report, column 471.
§ Mr. MacdonaldTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's assessment of future global deployments of anti-ballistic missile systems; and what are the implications for the level at which Trident is deployed.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonCurrently, only Russia possesses operational anti-ballistic missiles (ABMs). The United States has outlined its proposals for ABM defences which will be discussed with NATO allies. Other countries have expressed an interest in gaining an anti-tactical ballistic missile (ATBM) capability against sub-strategic ballistic missiles. Trident will deploy the minimum number of warheads necessary to provide effective deterrence.
§ Mr. MacdonaldTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (I) what studies his Department has undertaken to examine whether Trident could perform a sub-strategic nuclear role;
(2) if Trident will be capable of performing a sub-strategic nuclear role.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonI have nothing to add to the answer given to the hon. and learned Member for Fife, North-East (Mr. Campbell) on 20 May,Official Report, column 187.