Enabled by the 1963 Polaris Sales Agreement, as amended for Trident in 1982, the United Kingdom buys title to an agreed number of a shared stock of Trident II D5 missiles from the United States of America (US). These missiles are maintained at the Kings Bay Submarine Base, Georgia.

The UK is working with US partners to extend the life and replenish the Trident II D5 missiles to meet the future programme requirements of both Nations. These life extension programmes will provide sufficient missile packages, including spares, to support the UK’s requirement.

Yes. The Dreadnought Class submarines will carry nuclear-armed Trident II D5 ballistic missiles.

I refer the noble Lord to the Written Statement I laid in this House on 21 February, HLWS268.

The United Kingdom (UK) approved participation in the United States (US) led Life Extension programme to enable Trident II D5 missiles to remain in service until at least the 2040s at a cost of £320.5 million. To maintain the shared inventory with the US, the UK additionally participates in other missile related programmes to sustain key components and extend the service life of the boost rocket motors at a cost of £140 million and £361 million respectively, taking the total cost to £821.5 million.

Defence Nuclear Materials are transported only when necessary to meet operational requirements, and a wide range of safety and contingency measures are in place to ensure nuclear transport operations are conducted safely. Officials from my Department have regular discussions with all relevant agencies regarding the movement of Defence Nuclear Materials, including with the police, fire and emergency services in Scotland.

The position in respect of these programmes is as follows:

F-35B Lightning: The F-35 programme is managed through a US Government F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) based in the USA. The F-35 JPO places all of its contracts under US law and US federal acquisition rules and regulations. Consequently, all of the JPO's contracts are denominated in US dollars and the UK makes its payments to the JPO in US dollars. The F-35 JPO places the F-35 contracts with the F-35 industry/suppliers and makes the contractual payments to the F-35 industry/suppliers on behalf of the F-35 Partner Nations.

AH-64E Apache: The aircraft procurement and initial support is through a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) case with the US government and UK has no direct contract with the manufacturer. The FMS case and payments are denominated in US Dollars. The Long Term Training and Support Service to provide support to the fleet is through a contract with Boeing UK. The contract and payments are dual denominated in Pound Sterling and US Dollars according to each specified line-item.

E-7 Wedgetail: The acquisition contract is denominated in Pound Sterling, US Dollars and Australian Dollars. Payments to the contractor are made in the currency denominated in the contract.

CH-47 Chinook: The majority of contracts supporting the current fleet are priced in Pound Sterling. Boeing, as the Design Organisation of the Chinook Aircraft, and US based sub-contractors, do attract US Dollars payments and therefore some of the contracts are dual denominated. Payments are therefore made in both Pound Sterling and US Dollars in accordance with the terms of the contract. Separately, the Chinook Capability Sustainment Programme, which is the acquisition of 14 new Extended Range (H-47(ER)) aircraft via a FMS arrangement with the US Government, is priced and payments are made, in US Dollars.

Trident Missiles: The supply of the Trident Weapon System is managed through a government-to-government arrangement under the Polaris Sales Agreement (as amended for Trident in 1982) and payments are made to the US Department of Defense in US Dollars. Related in-service support contracts with UK companies are paid in Pound Sterling.

Protector UAV: Protector is being acquired through a combination of Direct Commercial Sales contracts with General Atomics - Aeronautical Systems Inc. and FMS. The contracts are denominated, and payments are made, in US Dollars.

The position in respect of these programmes is as follows:

F-35B Lightning: The F-35 programme is managed through a US Government F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) based in the USA. The F-35 JPO places all of its contracts under US law and US federal acquisition rules and regulations. Consequently, all of the JPO's contracts are denominated in US dollars and the UK makes its payments to the JPO in US dollars. The F-35 JPO places the F-35 contracts with the F-35 industry/suppliers and makes the contractual payments to the F-35 industry/suppliers on behalf of the F-35 Partner Nations.

AH-64E Apache: The aircraft procurement and initial support is through a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) case with the US government and UK has no direct contract with the manufacturer. The FMS case and payments are denominated in US Dollars. The Long Term Training and Support Service to provide support to the fleet is through a contract with Boeing UK. The contract and payments are dual denominated in Pound Sterling and US Dollars according to each specified line-item.

E-7 Wedgetail: The acquisition contract is denominated in Pound Sterling, US Dollars and Australian Dollars. Payments to the contractor are made in the currency denominated in the contract.

CH-47 Chinook: The majority of contracts supporting the current fleet are priced in Pound Sterling. Boeing, as the Design Organisation of the Chinook Aircraft, and US based sub-contractors, do attract US Dollars payments and therefore some of the contracts are dual denominated. Payments are therefore made in both Pound Sterling and US Dollars in accordance with the terms of the contract. Separately, the Chinook Capability Sustainment Programme, which is the acquisition of 14 new Extended Range (H-47(ER)) aircraft via a FMS arrangement with the US Government, is priced and payments are made, in US Dollars.

Trident Missiles: The supply of the Trident Weapon System is managed through a government-to-government arrangement under the Polaris Sales Agreement (as amended for Trident in 1982) and payments are made to the US Department of Defense in US Dollars. Related in-service support contracts with UK companies are paid in Pound Sterling.

Protector UAV: Protector is being acquired through a combination of Direct Commercial Sales contracts with General Atomics - Aeronautical Systems Inc. and FMS. The contracts are denominated, and payments are made, in US Dollars.

77^th Brigade are not involved in the monitoring of activities related to opposition to the siting of Trident missiles on the Clyde.

The UK's Replacement Warhead is planned to enter service in the 2030's. I am withholding specific information about in-service dates for the purposes of safeguarding national security.

The last Trident D5 missile test took place as part of the Demonstration and Shakedown Operation with HMS Vengeance in 2016. The UK has sufficient Trident II D5 missiles for its needs.

The Dreadnought Class submarines will begin to enter service from the early 2030s. As announced in the Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy we will no longer give public figures for our deployed missile numbers.

The last Trident D5 missile test took place as part of the Demonstration and Shakedown Operation with HMS Vengeance in 2016. The UK has sufficient Trident II D5 missiles for its needs.

The Dreadnought Class submarines will begin to enter service from the early 2030s. As announced in the Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy we will no longer give public figures for our deployed missile numbers.

Maintaining and renewing elements of the UK's nuclear deterrent capability is fully consistent with our international legal obligations, including those under Article VI of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). The UK remains committed to the step-by-step approach to nuclear disarmament under the framework of the NPT, and the long-term goal of a world without nuclear weapons.

The UK will continue to work for a successful NPT Review Conference that continues to lay the groundwork and helps build the trust and confidence necessary for multilateral disarmament, as well as strengthening the non-proliferation and peaceful uses pillars of the Treaty. We will continue to play a leading role in developing nuclear disarmament verification, on which our ability to achieve and maintain a world without nuclear weapons will depend. We will also continue to build trust and confidence amongst nuclear weapon states, and between nuclear weapon states and non-nuclear weapon states.

As coordinator of the P5 Process in 2019 and 2020, we pushed forward work on transparency, leading the way with our consultation exercise on the UK's national implementation report that has now been taken up by others, and securing agreement to a presentation by the nuclear weapon states of their national nuclear doctrines at the Review Conference. We look forward to continuing these discussions and picking up other important issues such as strategic risk reduction.

As we approach the NPT Review Conference, we will continue to demonstrate our commitment to all pillars of the NPT, including disarmament.

The fundamental purpose of the UK's nuclear deterrent remains to deter other states' use of nuclear weapons. We would never encourage others to develop nuclear weapons in breach of their NPT obligations. We remain committed to multilateral disarmament and our shared long-term goal of a world without nuclear weapons.