Written question asked by Julia Drown (Labour) on Wednesday, 26 January 2000, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 4 February 2000. It was answered by Geoffrey Hoon (Labour) on Friday, 4 February 2000 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Ministry of Defence

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to inform Parliament of (a) the amount spent on nuclear weapons research and (b) plans for research or work on future nuclear weapons systems; what plans the Government has to fund further work or research on the Trident warhead and its individual components; and at what cost; what (a) work and (b) research the Government is funding on future nuclear weapons systems and on the components of such systems; and at what cost. - Inc figures.

Answer: Ms Drown: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what steps he is taking to inform Parliament of (a) the amount spent on nuclear weapons research and (b) plans for research or work on future nuclear weapons systems; [107597] (2) what plans the Government have to fund further work or research on the Trident warhead and its individual components; and at what cost; [107736] (3) what (a) work and (b) research the Government are funding on future nuclear weapons systems and on the components of such systems; and at what cost. [107737] Mr. Hoon: Supporting Essay 5 of the Strategic Defence Review White Paper (Cm 3999) provided details of the costs of the nuclear warhead programme in 1997-98. Direct Trident Warhead Related Expenditure is expected to continue at around £120 million per annum (at 1998-99 prices) for the life of the system, of which some £70 million is in support of Research, Development and Capability Maintenance activities. Although research is aimed at stewardship of the Trident warhead, it also ensures the maintenance of a minimum capability to design and produce a successor should this prove necessary.

Secondary information