The Submarine Build Modernisation (SBM) programme improves facilities, grows the workforce and modernises manufacturing to enable us to meet future submarine production demand. It also strengthens the supply chain to ensure continuous submarine production and delivery of the future SSN-AUKUS programme. Work is underway at key sites to increase capacity without stopping current production.

As set out in the Defence Investment Plan, we will procure up to 12 next-generation SSN-AUKUS nuclear powered, conventionally armed attack submarines.

On current plans, we will cut steel on the first SSN-AUKUS submarine

next year, with the aim to deliver the first UK submarine into service in the 2030s.

I hope the Hon Gentleman will understand that the planned in-service dates for Royal Navy submarines are withheld as disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness, or security of the Armed Forces.

As set out in the Defence Investment Plan, we will procure up to 12 next-generation SSN-AUKUS nuclear powered, conventionally armed attack submarines.

On current plans, we will cut steel on the first SSN-AUKUS submarine

next year, with the aim to deliver the first UK submarine into service in the 2030s.

I hope the Hon Gentleman will understand that the planned in-service dates for Royal Navy submarines are withheld as disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness, or security of the Armed Forces.

As set out in the Defence Investment Plan (DIP), we will procure up to 12 SSN-AUKUS submarines. A decision on exact hull numbers does not need to be taken at this stage.

The programme is currently midway through the Detailed Design and Long Lead (D2L2) phase and we anticipate that the number of submarines will be confirmed before the end of this phase in 2028.

Through the DIP, the Government has made the investments necessary to establish the industrial capacity required to ultimately deliver a submarine every 18 months from the mid-2030s to ensure we can deliver an expanded SSN force.

As set out in the Defence Investment Plan (DIP), we will procure up to 12 SSN-AUKUS submarines. A decision on exact hull numbers does not need to be taken at this stage.

The programme is currently midway through the Detailed Design and Long Lead (D2L2) phase and we anticipate that the number of submarines will be confirmed before the end of this phase in 2028.

Through the DIP, the Government has made the investments necessary to establish the industrial capacity required to ultimately deliver a submarine every 18 months from the mid-2030s to ensure we can deliver an expanded SSN force.

The SSN-AUKUS programme is in the Detailed Design and Long Lead (D2L2) phase, with contracts totaling around £4 billion having been placed.

The Ministry of Defence publishes annual Defence Nuclear Enterprise expenditure, including by financial year, in the usual way through the Annual Report and Accounts.

No. The Ministry of Defence does not recycle spent nuclear fuel from decommissioned submarines.

We are investing £6 billion over the Spending Review period to transform our industrial base and deliver continuous submarine production, allowing the UK to produce a submarine every 18 months.

The Ministry of Defence publishes annual Defence Nuclear Enterprise expenditure in the usual way through the Annual Report and Accounts.

Submarine Rotational Force-West is on track to be established in 2027, as confirmed in the joint AUKUS Defence Ministers’ statement of 30 May 2026. The UK has reaffirmed its commitment to maintain a rotational presence as part of Submarine Rotational Force-West. As I am certain the hon. Member will know already the specific scheduling of individual submarine deployments is not published, as to do so could prejudice operational security.

Submarine recycling is a personal priority for me. In July 2023, the demonstrator submarine, SWIFTSURE, was moved to dry dock at Rosyth Royal Dockyard to commence final dismantling. This demonstrator project will refine the disposal process and is on track to be dismantled by the end of 2026. Lessons learned from this will provide more certainty around the schedule and identify any acceleration opportunities for defueling and dismantling the remaining 22 decommissioned submarines.

The AUKUS partnership, announced in March 2023, sets out a phased approach under Pillar 1 to deliver a trilateral programme of conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines (SSNs), including a rotational UK and US presence in the Indo-Pacific from as early as 2027. This pathway to Australia becoming “sovereign ready” for its own SSN capability is already being realised in practice, building on visits to Western Australia by HMS Anson and successive US submarines, with activity increasing in frequency and complexity.

AUKUS Pillar 1 cannot be realised without the essential personnel and expertise needed to design, build, operate, maintain and decommission SSNs, but it also offers an unprecedented opportunity to integrate and grow the submarine building workforce of all three partners. It will create thousands of jobs in all three countries, and we are confident that the UK’s world-leading facilities will continue to attract the very best personnel, with the Team Barrow and Team Plymouth initiatives further enhancing this.

Some movement is inevitable and reflects the benefits of global mobility. Our AUKUS partners respect the joint nature of this programme and the fact that through it we will develop more resilient skills bases in each country.

The Government is fully committed to AUKUS. The Nuclear-Powered Submarine Partnership and Collaboration Treaty is a key part of this partnership and will enable comprehensive cooperation between the UK and Australia on the design, build, operation, sustainment, and disposal of our SSN-AUKUS submarines. This includes port visits, and notably HMS ANSON has recently arrived in Perth, Australia – a major milestone that will see Australian personnel conducting maintenance on the Astute Class submarine.

The text of the treaty can be found here:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68b1814ecc8356c3c882a8dc/CS_Australia_2.2025_Nuclear_Powered_Submarine_Partnership_Agreement.pdf

It is UK policy not to disclose the operational availability or deployment details of submarines, including SSNs, as doing so would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness, or security of our Armed Forces.

The Ministry of Defence is working closely with Australia and the United States under the AUKUS partnership to deliver conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines for Australia. As part of this collaboration, Australian naval personnel are embedded with the Defence Nuclear Enterprise (DNE) including the Royal Navy, Defence Nuclear Organisation (DNO), Submarine Delivery Agency (SDA), and UK Industry to gain the skills and experience required to operate and sustain nuclear-powered submarines. This activity is essential to building Australia's sovereign capability.

Future capability plans for the Royal Navy are being considered as part of the Defence Investment Plan. However, the first of the Type 26 and Type 31 frigates are scheduled to be ready for operations by the end of the decade, with further uncrewed and autonomous systems scheduled to be introduced over the next five years. By 2030, AUKUS partners will establish a rotational SSN presence in Australia, embed advanced technologies through Pillar II, and build industrial and workforce capacity.

Analysis of docking capacity for the maintenance of Submarines and Warships is the subject of ongoing analysis as part of the Royal Navy’s planning process - the Naval Support Integrated Global Network (NSIGN) Programme is an integral part of this.

There are no current plans to mandate the use of Gibraltar for Submarine Dry Docking.

The final decision will be based on analysis of defence requirements through the Defence Investment Plan.

Nuclear safety is of paramount importance and is a critical aspect of our commitments. As such, HMNB Clyde complies with international best practice as recommended by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Nuclear safety at these sites is independently overseen by the Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator (DNSR) and the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR), who have robust powers to address concerns and recommend changes where necessary. These structures ensure that nuclear safety is treated with the seriousness that it requires. This becomes even more important as this Government affirms its cast iron commitment to the strategic deterrent as the bedrock of our defence.

With this in mind, the Secretary of State has authorised the annual release of the statistics on Nuclear Site Event Reports (NSERs) for HMNB Clyde. NSERs are a means of classifying the significance of safety incidents with actual or potential impact and are recommended by the IAEA to ensure a robust safety culture that learns from experience. This information has previously been provided on request, but in recognition of the importance of the subject, this data will now be provided as a standing commitment to strengthen oversight and scrutiny.

I hope that the hon. Member will understand that releasing specific information for each NSER, when coupled with other information that may already be in the public domain through other means, would not only enable adversaries to make deductions about the operability, capability and effectiveness of the facilities and functions at HMNB Clyde, but would also provide invaluable information about submarine availability. Such information would prove extremely useful to hostile powers and groups in enabling them to target, disrupt and degrade the effectiveness of RN activities.

The planned in-service dates for Royal Navy submarines are withheld as disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness, or security of the Armed Forces. The aim is to deliver the first UK submarines into service in the late 2030s to replace the current Astute-Class vessels.