§ Mr. MacdonaldTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the Trident D5 missile that the United Kingdom is purchasing from the United States of America has been flight-tested with more than eight re-entry vehicles.
§ Mr. AitkenYes.
§ Mr. MacdonaldTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answers to the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Cohen) of 16 December,Official Report, column 903, on test firing, and the hon. Member for Western Isles (Mr. Macdonald) of 18 January, Official Report, column 505, on a processing margin, what is Her Majesty's Government's policy in respect of the maximum number of Trident missiles to be purchased from the United States; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. AitkenWe plan to purchase sufficient Trident missiles from the United States to maintain a minimum nuclear deterrent well into the next century. It is not our policy to comment on the total number of missiles to be purchased.
§ Mr. MacdonaldTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the technical maximum number of warheads that the United Kingdom's Trident submarines will be capable of deploying.
§ Mr. AitkenEach United Kingdom Trident submarine will be technically capable of carrying a maximum of 192 warheads. However, we have announced that each Trident submarine will deploy with no more than 96 warheads and may carry a significantly lower number.