HC Deb 26 March 1985 vol 76 cc179-80W
17. Mr. Flannery

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a further statement on the development of the Trident programme.

27. Mr. Dobson

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a further statement on the development of the Trident programme.

55. Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a further statement on the development of the Trident programme.

Mr. Butler

The programme for replacing Polaris with Trident in the mid-1990s is proceeding satisfactorily and on schedule. Tenders have now been received from Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Limited for the construction of the first of the four United Kingdom Trident class submarines, and negotiations are in hand with a view to concluding a contract by the end of 1985. As regards the strategic weapon system, the full-scale engineering development phase has been under way in the United States for some time and is making good progress. As far as the development of the Clyde submarine base is concerned, on 7 March the Secretary of State for Scotland gave his approval to the Department's notice of proposed development subject to a number of requirements being met in order to minimise, as far as possible, the impact of the proposed developments.

33. Mr. Cohen

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is his latest estimate of the cost to Britain of Trident missiles.

Mr. Butler

I refer to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence to the hon. Members for Edinburgh, East (Mr. Strang), for Cynon Valley (Mrs. Clwyd) and for Leeds, West (Mr. Meadowcroft) on 29 January at columns 134–37

38. Mr. Wallace

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he is satisfied with control of servicing arrangements for the Trident missile system.

Mr. Butler

Yes.

44. Mr. Norman Atkinson

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what implications there would be for Trident if the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics goes ahead in the development of a defence in space against ballistic nuclear weapons.

Mr. Butler

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces on 26 February 1985 at column 157.

Mr. Ashdown

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether the purchase of Trident from the United States includes the transfer of warhead design or components.

Mr. Butler

The nuclear warheads to be fitted in the British Trident D5 missile system will be of British design and manufacture.