Nuclear Deterrent
<David Laws> (Yeovil, Liberal Democrat)
To ask the Secretary of State <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secretary_of_State> for Defence what plans he has to publish a consultation paper on the future of the UK's <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UK%27s> nuclear deterrent; and if he will make a statement.
Des Browne <http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/?m=1996> (Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence)
I have nothing further to add to the statements made by my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leader_of_the_House> on 22 June 2006, /Official Report/, column 1468, and my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister <http://www.theyworkforyou.com/glossary/?gl=35> on 28 June 2006, /Official Report/, column 253
Julian Lewis <http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/?m=1724> (New Forest East, Conservative)
To ask the Secretary of State <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secretary_of_State> for Defence what assessment he has made of the unpredictability of future threats to the United Kingdom <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom> between 2020 and 2050 as a factor in deciding whether to build a new generation of the nuclear deterrent.
Des Browne <http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/?m=1996> (Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence)
Work by officials is under way to prepare for decisions, which will be taken later this year, on the future of the United Kingdom's <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom%27s> nuclear deterrent. This work includes an analysis of possible future risks and threats over the potential life of any replacement for Trident. It is, however, too early to draw any conclusions.
Lynne Featherstone <http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/?m=1641> (Hornsey & Wood Green, Liberal Democrat)
To ask the Secretary of State <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secretary_of_State> for Defence how much the Government spent in relation to their nuclear weapons in each of the last five years.
Des Browne <http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/?m=1996> (Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence)
Trident is our only nuclear weapons system. Since the Trident nuclear deterrent became operational in 1994, annual expenditure for capital and operating costs, including the costs for the Atomic Weapons Establishment <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_Weapons_Establishment>, has ranged between 3 and4.5 per cent. of the annual defence budget.