Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much plutonium has been recovered as part of the Mk4A Trident warhead dismantlement programme; what proportion has been re-used in current warhead systems; where remaining material is stored; and what the total cost of the programme has been to date.

The Mk4 warhead components are being disassembled and re-used, recycled or safely disposed of at the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) Burghfield site, following the transition to the Mk4A warhead in 2023. The cost of disassembling our nuclear warheads and details around the reuse of components are being withheld for national security reasons.

AWE is committed to the safe and secure handling, storage and disposal of radioactive materials, and this activity is regulated by the Office for Nuclear Regulation and the Environment Agency.