HC Deb 28 July 1998 vol 317 cc200-1W
Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the deployment plans for Trident under the Strategic Defence Review include warheads assigned to a sub-strategic role. [52216]

Mr. George Robertson

Yes.

Mr. Alan Simpson

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures are being taken to maintain a minimum capability to design and produce a successor to Trident should this prove necessary; and what the estimated annual cost of this commitment will be. [52165]

Mr. George Robertson

Since Trident should meet our needs well into the next century, there is no work under way to develop a new generation of nuclear weapons. No decisions on any successor system will be needed for several years.

Mr. Alan Simpson

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many crews are assigned to each of the four Trident submarines; and if he will make a statement. [52161]

Mr. George Robertson

HMS Victorious and HMS Vigilant each have two crews of 140. HMS Vanguard has a single augmented crew of 200. We plan over time to move to single augmented crews for all our Trident submarines.

Mr. Alan Simpson

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place the annual report on the Progress of the Trident Programme in the Library. [52181]

Mr. Spellar

Given the comprehensive nature of the Strategic Defence Review White Paper and supporting essays, we have no plans to produce a separate report on the Progress of the Trident Programme this year.

Mr. Alan Simpson

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the circumstances in which Trident would be used. [52178]

Mr. George Robertson

The United Kingdom would consider the use of nuclear weapons only in extreme circumstances of self-defence and in accordance with international law.

Mr. Menzies Campbell

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if any Trident submarine in the operational cycle, apart from one on patrol, will be loaded with 48 warheads. [52136]

Mr. George Robertson

All three Trident submarines normally in the operational cycle will have 48 warheads loaded.