Defence Secretary Liam Fox has announced that approval has been given to go ahead with the detailed design phase of development of new submarines planned to replace the current Vanguard class vessels which carry the UK's Trident nuclear weapons. ... more

- Defence spending to fall by 8% in real terms.
- Life of current Trident submarines to be extended.
- Stockpile of operational nuclear weapons to be reduced from less than 160 to less than 120.
- No cuts to troop numbers in Afghanistan.

Despite newspaper headlines lamenting the lack of aircraft available to fly from the two new aircraft carriers which the government has confirmed it will purchase, the Strategic Defence and Security Review confirms the government's intention for the UK to remain a first rate military power that will continue to punch above its weight in the world – albeit on a reduced budget.

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Date: FRIDAY 5^TH DECEMBER 2008

Time: Around 12 noon

Location: BERTH 38. DOCK GATE 4

"...an extension of the Devonport Future Nuclear facilities Partnering Agreement to cover £147M additional work to support docking, de-fuel, de-equip and lay-up preparation of nuclear submarines"

"...A £1Bn, ten year Partnering Contract with Rolls Royce Propulsion Engineering to provide in service support of nuclear propulsion plant for Swiftsure, Trafalgar, Vanguard and Astute Class Submarines. The performance and cost incentivised contract forms the first part of a long term strategic partnering and business transformation project." ... more

The risk of a nuclear accident is ever-present in the operation, servicing and decommissioning of UK submarines. Any accident at sea could affect the reactor. Periodic re-fits or decommissioning require high level radioactive fuel to be removed and stored. Reactors remains in the 15 redundant submarines stored afloat at Devonport and Rosyth in Scotland. Emergency safety plans are constantly exercised by the MoD and Local Authorities. NIS will be listing exercises and a full list of accidents in the near future. ... more

*Norman Baker:* To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in which year he expects that the Trident nuclear capability would, if not upgraded, become obsolete. [116808]

*Des Browne:* As the White Paper we published on 4 December makes clear, even with a life extension, our existing Vanguard boats will leave service from the early 2020s. Unless we participate in the life extension programme for our existing Trident D5 missiles, it will not be possible to retain the missiles in service much beyond 2020, except at much greater cost and technical risk. ... more

*Lynne Jones:* To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his estimate is of the time it would take to procure further Trident D5 missiles. ... more