Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to ensure the independence of the nuclear deterrent; and if he will take steps to reduce reliance on the US for the (a) testing, (b) maintenance, and (c) replacement of missiles.

The United Kingdom’s nuclear deterrent is completely operationally independent. Only the Prime Minister can authorise the use of our nuclear weapons, even if they are to be employed as part of a NATO response.

We have a close and longstanding relationship with the US on all nuclear issues. One result of this close relationship is that we are able to procure certain non-nuclear components from the US, most notably the Trident II D5 missile, significantly reducing the cost of our nuclear deterrent capability.