HC Deb 04 December 1997 vol 302 cc335-6W
Mrs. Ewing

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the total cost of the Trident nuclear programme(a) for each of the past five years and (b) since the programme was first purchased by the United Kingdom. [19232]

Mr. Robertson

The acquisition cost of Trident in each of the past five years has been as follows:

Financial year £ million
1992–93 993
1993–94 892
1994–95 703
1995–96 403
1996–97 372

These figures are at outturn prices for the relevant year. The total expenditure on procuring Trident up to 30 September 1997 was £8,820 million, also at outturn prices.

The cost of operating Trident has been estimated at £200 million a year over the 30 year lifetime of the system. We are looking at the basis upon which cost estimates have been calculated in the light of operating experience and as part of the wider Strategic Defence Review.