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Atomic Weapons Establishment: Facilities Upgrade

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Defence (John Reid) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. The Government made clear last year (Official Report, House of Commons, 21 July 2004, col. 348) their commitment to maintaining the effectiveness and safety of the nuclear deterrent including making the necessary investment in the facilities at the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston and Burghfield. To that end agreement has been reached with AWE Management Limited (AWE ML) to take forward a programme of investment in sustaining key skills and facilities at the Atomic Weapons Establishment. This will include the provision of necessary extra supporting infrastructure. Local planning authorities will be consulted on this work in the normal way, under the provisions of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2005. The purpose of this investment of some £350 million over each of the next three years is to ensure that we can   maintain the existing Trident warhead stockpile throughout its intended in-service life. In the absence of the ability to undertake live nuclear testing given that the UK has signed and ratified the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, it is necessary to invest in the facilities at AWE which will provide assurance that the existing Trident warhead stockpile is reliable and safe.