**8 Jan 2007 : Column 111W
Trident**
*Mr. Dai Davies:* To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the availability of /(a)/ project management and /(b)/ nuclear decommissioning expertise between (i) 2007 and 2012, (ii) 2013 and 2017 and (iii) 2018 and 2024 on projects related to Trident. [109486]
*Des Browne:* The Department aims to ensure that it has sufficient expert personnel to meet current and future nuclear programme demands through external recruitment, internal staff development and close involvement with industry. This includes those personnel required for the project management and nuclear decommissioning disciplines. The assessment of the likely demand for nuclear experts is undertaken in conjunction with the Nuclear Sector Skills Council who maintain an oversight of the issues surrounding the national requirement for staff with key nuclear skills, both civil and military. In addition, the MOD is represented at the Nuclear Employers Steering Group, which monitors trends at a national level to scope the likely future demand for staff.
*8 Jan 2007 : Column 99W
Nuclear Submarines
Nick Harvey:* To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the /(a)/ planned service life at construction and /(b)/ actual service life was for each decommissioned nuclear submarine that has been in service with the Royal Navy. [108805]
*Des Browne:* Information on the planned service life at construction of the Dreadnought, Valiant-Churchill and Resolution Classes of nuclear submarine is not readily available. The actual service life of vessels in these classes was as follows:
/Vessel/ /Actual Service Life in Years/
HMS Dreadnought
19
HMS Valiant
28
HMS Warspite
23
HMS Churchill
20
HMS Conqueror
21
HMS Courageous
21
HMS Resolution
27
HMS Repulse
28
HMS Renown
28
HMS Revenge
25
The Swiftsure Class of nuclear submarines were designed with a hull life at construction of at least 25 years. The actual service life of those vessels that have been withdrawn from service is as follows:
/Vessel/ /A// ctual service life in years/
HMS Swiftsure
18
HMS Sovereign
32
HMS Spartan
26
HMS Splendid
22
*8 Jan 2007 : Column 100W
Nuclear Submarines
Nick Harvey:* To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate his Department has made of the cost of developing a new design of submarine reactor with a passive cooling system that could function without relying on cooling pumps. [108807]
*Des Browne:* The existing pressurised water reactors in Royal Navy submarines have a passive cooling system that functions without relying on main coolant pumps.