Trident (Hansard, 31 March 1994)

§ Mr. Flynn
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration his Department has given to maintaining the fourth Trident submarine in a state of extended readiness; and what would be the likely cost implications.

§ Mr. Aitken
The Government remain committed to operating a four-boat Trident force. Estimates of the cost implications of placing a boat at extended readiness are therefore not available.

§ Mr. Flynn
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what strategic rationale exists, during peacetime, to maintain more than (i) one Trident submarine at sea at any one time or (ii) two Trident submarines at sea at any one time.

§ Mr. Hanley
It has been the policy of successive Governments to maintain at least one ballistic missile submarine on deterrent patrol at all times while not commenting on actual numbers at sea.

§ Mr. Flynn
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if his Department will retain the capability to deploy more than its currently planned number of warheads on Trident should future circumstances require it.
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§ Mr. Aitken
Our announcement of a revised ceiling on the maximum number of warheads to be deployed on our Trident submarines does not affect the technical capabilities of the system.