Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the next three stages are in the investment programme announced in the Strategic Defence and Security Review for the Successor programme; and when he expects each of those stages will reach approval decisions.

As set out in the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015, we will further invest around £600 million in the design of the Successor submarine as we prepare to move to the demonstration phase. Options for the subsequent investment stages and their scope, time and cost are currently under consideration and will be subject to the formal approvals process