HC Deb 01 March 1985 vol 74 c299W
Mr. Boyes

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated total capital cost in 1984–85 prices of the following equipment programmes, including aircraft, initial spares and weapons and equipment fitted on the ships (a) anti-submarine warfare carrier programme, and (b) type 42 programme.

Mr. Lee

The information is not available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Boyes

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated total capital cost in 1984–85 prices of the following equipment programme (a) original Polaris programmes, (b) the Chevaline programme and (c)the re-motoring programme for the Polaris missiles.

Mr. Lee

The capital acquisition cost of the original Polaris programme was some £330 million over the years 1963 to 1972. The information which would enable a detailed up-pricing of this figure is not available, but it is roughly estimated that exchange rate and price variations to bring it to 1984–85 prices would have increased by about tenfold. The capital cost of the Chevaline and Polaris remotoring programmes up-priced to 1984–85 prices would be some £2,000 million and £400 million respectively. All the figures use the exchange rate of £1=$1.38 used for this year's recosting of the defence programme.

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