§ Mr. Frank Fieldasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will state the current cost of the Trident programme and if he will list (a) what sum and proportion of that cost will be spent in British firms (i) operating in the United Kingdom and (ii) operating as subsidiaries in the United States of America and (b) the number of jobs that will be created in the United Kingdom both (i) directly and (ii) indirectly as a result of this total expenditure.
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§ Mr. Norman LamontMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for defence announced a cost estimate for Trident of £9,285 million at 1984–85 prices and an exchange rate of £1 = $1.38 on 29 January 1985 at columns 134–137. Of this estimate, approximately 55 per cent. or over £5,100 million by value, is planned to be spent in the United Kingdom and is expected to create on average about 9,000 direct, and 7,000 indirect, job opportunities in United Kingdom firms during the period of procurement. These numbers will rise to about 17,000 and 13,000 respectively during the peak years.
The above figures exclude the benefit to British firms of sub contracts obtained on the United States Trident II programme under the Trident industrial participation arrangements. It is not possible at this stage to assess the total value of work that will be won. A small proportion of the contracts placed to date has been awarded to United Kingdom subsidiaries operating in the United States.