§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the current operating costs of the Polaris fleet; what were the costs in each of the last 15 years at 1996 129W prices; and what sum the Government have allocated for (a) decommissioning and (b) scrapping the Polaris (i) submarines, (ii) missiles and (iii) warheads. [10746]
§ Mr. SoamesThe operating costs of the Polaris fleet in each of the last 15 years at 1995–96 prices are as follows:
Financial year Spend at constant prices £million1 1981–82 470 1982–83 472 1983–84 410 1984–85 367 1985–86 383 1986–87 434 1987–88 434 1988–89 373 1989–90 303 1990–91 250 1991–92 183 1992–93 162 1993–94 107 1994–95 67 1995–96 63 1 All at 1995–96 prices using GDP deflators. Details of operating costs during the current financial year are in the course of preparation.
The estimated cost for the defuelling, de-equipping and laying-up of the Polaris fleet of submarines is approximately £71 million at 1996–97 prices, over the next 10 years. No firm estimate is yet available of the likely cost of eventual disposal.
The cost of decommissioning and scrapping Polaris missiles currently totals £8 million. These costs include sums already spent plus values of contracts let. The sum covers missile decommissioning/scrapping costs but excludes warhead disposal.
It is not our practice to reveal costs associated with the warhead.