§ 12. Mr. Canavanasked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the latest estimated cost of the Trident nuclear weapon.
§ Mr. Ian StewartI refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Edge Hill (Mr. Alton) on 14 December.—[Vol. 34, c. 111.]
§ 16. Mr. Warrenasked the Secretary of State for Defence how he is making known to British industry the opportunities for contracts on the United Kingdom Trident programme; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Ian StewartSo far as United Kingdom contracts are concerned British industry is being alerted to opportunities in the normal way, although of course with Trident, as with many other major defence projects, substantial elements of the United Kingdom programme fall to single source suppliers. However, in addition, as my hon. Friend is aware, we have an agreement with the United States to allow British firms to bid for United States subcontracts on the Trident strategic weapon system. A 107W special office was set up in the Ministry of Defence last year to alert British industry to the opportunities in the United States and has been very active in doing so.
§ 47. Mr. Roy Hughesasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will review the Trident project in view of the further fall in sterling relative to the dollar.
§ Mr. Ian StewartNo.
§ 51. Mr. Ancramasked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the present state of the offset deals relating to the purchase of Trident.
§ Mr. Ian StewartOver 50 United Kingdom firms have now been qualified to bid as suppliers to the programme. I expect that figure to increase progressively. The process leading to selection of subcontractors will not begin in earnest until this summer.
As my hon. Friend is aware, the arrangements with the United States Government over the Trident II (D-5) programme as a whole give United Kingdom firms the opportunity to compete on equal terms with their United States counterparts for subcontracts for weapon system components.
§ 55. Miss Wrightasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether the agreement between the United Kingdom and the United States Government for the purchase of the Trident missile system involves any non-pecuniary arrangements.
§ Mr. Ian StewartI refer the hon. Member to the texts of letters exchanged last March between the Prime Minister and the President of the United States and between the Secretary of State for Defence and the United States Secretary of Defence, (Cmnd. 8517).