Written question asked by Dan Jarvis (Labour) on Tuesday, 12 July 2011, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 18 July 2011. It was answered by Liam Fox (Conservative) on Monday, 18 July 2011 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Trident

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 29 June 2011, Official Report, column 675W, on Trident, whether he has made an assessment of whether, if the funding allocated for the replacement of Trident were invested in other capabilities in the defence and security economy, including (a) intelligence services, (b) special forces, (c) the police and (d) other capabilities, a commensurate level of deterrence could be achieved.

Answer: Our current analysis is that we cannot rule out the risk either that a major direct nuclear threat to the UK's vital interests will re-emerge or that new states will emerge that possess a more limited nuclear capability but nevertheless one that could pose a grave threat to our vital interests. We therefore see an enduring role for the UK's nuclear forces as an essential part of our capability for deterring nuclear-armed opponents. As stated in the 2006 White Paper "The Future of the United Kingdom's Nuclear Deterrent" (Cm 6994) conventional capabilities cannot have the same deterrent effect as nuclear weapons.This remains Government policy.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 66515; 531 c585-6W
Session: 2010-12
Related items: Trident
Tuesday, 28 June 2011
Written questions
House of Commons
Subjects: Trident
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk