Asked by: Lord Walney (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement by Baroness Goldie on 2 November (HLWS537), what assessment they have made of the impact of the decision for AWE plc to "become an Arms-Length Body wholly owned by the MOD" on the timetable for their commitment to nuclear warhead renewal.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
The change in the Atomic Weapons Establishment operating model will enhance the Ministry of Defence's (MOD) agility to manage the UK's nuclear deterrent and improve the delivery of core defence objectives, including the replacement warhead.
The change will also enable the MOD to invest in the development of the workforce, infrastructure and capabilities needed for the replacement warhead programme. I am withholding further information on the replacement warhead timetable for the purposes of safeguarding national security.
Asked by: Lord Walney (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to establish a working group reporting to the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals to consider whether to introduce a special service medal for current and former submariners who have served on patrol in the ongoing Operation Relentless.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
The Government appreciates the courage shown and sacrifices made by all our brave Service men and women, including those who have served in the Submarine Service as part of Operation Relentless. However, there are no plans to introduce a special service medal. Since 2010, our submariners receive the Deterrent Patrol Pin recognising the professionalism, dedication and commitment displayed by those who have deployed on ballistic missile submarine patrols. Former members of the Service are entitled, and encouraged, to apply for the pin in recognition of their previous service.
Asked by: Lord Walney (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Programme Design and Definition phase of the SSN(R) programme.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
The programme to deliver the first of Class of an SSN Replacement for the Astute Class submarines is currently in the Programme Definition and Design Phase, which aims to identify potential capability solution choices. Therefore, it is too early to determine what the capability solution will be.
Asked by: Lord Walney (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the replacement for the Astute-class SSN Royal Navy submarines will take the form of another submarine.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
The programme to deliver the first of Class of an SSN Replacement for the Astute Class submarines is currently in the Programme Definition and Design Phase, which aims to identify potential capability solution choices. Therefore, it is too early to determine what the capability solution will be.
Asked by: Lord Walney (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the expected dates for the Dreadnought-class of SSBN submarines to be in service.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
As set out in the 2019 Annual Update to Parliament on the UKs future nuclear deterrent, the Dreadnought submarine programme is on track for the First of Class, HMS Dreadnought, to enter service in the early 2030s. The planned in-service dates of submarines are withheld as disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.
Asked by: Lord Walney (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, by what procurement process the requirements management and systems engineering tools for Defence Equipment and Support (DES) will be advertised; and whether there will be separate procurement processes for the software tools component and the provision of training and consultancy services for DES.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
The Ministry of Defence is in the early stages of considering its future requirements management system. It is likely that existing Crown Commercial Services frameworks will be utilised to compete the future requirement, although the procurement process and associated timings are still being scoped.
Asked by: Lord Walney (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the contract to provide requirements management and systems engineering tools to Defence Equipment and Support will be advertised.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
The Ministry of Defence is in the early stages of considering its future requirements management system. It is likely that existing Crown Commercial Services frameworks will be utilised to compete the future requirement, although the procurement process and associated timings are still being scoped.
Asked by: Lord Walney (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what basis the choice of a requirements management system for his Department is made; and for what reasons there is not an open competition related to that system.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
The Ministry of Defence is in the early stages of considering its future requirements management system. It is likely that existing Crown Commercial Services frameworks will be utilised to compete the future requirement, although the procurement process and associated timings are still being scoped.
Asked by: Lord Walney (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the potential cost saving of a competitive tendering process for requirements management systems.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
The Ministry of Defence is in the early stages of considering its future requirements management system. It is likely that existing Crown Commercial Services frameworks will be utilised to compete the future requirement, although the procurement process and associated timings are still being scoped.
Asked by: Lord Walney (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many tests of UK Trident missiles have been carried out by each Vanguard class submarine (a) since 2010 and (b) in the last 20 years; and how many tests of US Trident missiles have been carried out in those same time periods.
Answered by Michael Fallon
Demonstration and Shakedown Operations (DASOs) are undertaken prior to the initial deployment of a ballistic missile submarine and also following long overhaul periods. To date there have been eleven UK DASO firings of the Trident II D5 missiles - all resulted in the submarine successfully being certified to return to the operational cycle.
Details of the date of the missile firing and the submarine involved are given below;
26 May 1994 - HMS Vanguard
19 June 1994 - HMS Vanguard
24 July 1995 - HMS Victorious
22 August 1995 - HMS Victorious
10 October 1997 - HMS Vigilant
10 October 1997 - HMS Vigilant
21 September 2000 - HMS Vengeance
10 October 2005 - HMS Vanguard
26 May 2009 - HMS Victorious
23 October 2012 - HMS Vigilant
20 June 2016 - HMS Vengeance
We do not hold records of US DASOs, but there have been over 160 successful test flights of Trident II D5 missiles since 1989.