Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what role the Merlin Out of Service Date Extension Programme has in support of the Continuous At Sea Deterrent.
Answered by Maria Eagle
The Merlin Out of Service Date Extension Programme supports the Continuous At Sea Deterrent by extending the operational life of the Merlin helicopter fleet until 2040.
These helicopters provide essential anti-submarine warfare capabilities, ensuring the security and readiness of the Royal Navy's deterrent patrols.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to question 36205, whether the Dreadnought-class submarine programme will use the Trident 2 D5 missile.
Answered by Maria Eagle
Yes. The Dreadnought Class submarines will carry nuclear-armed Trident II D5 ballistic missiles.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what bases in the UK will have capability to hold Dreadnought class submarines for (a) repairs and (b) maintenance by 2035.
Answered by Maria Eagle
There is a strategy in place to upgrade infrastructure and provide suitable docking for the new Dreadnought Class submarines across existing UK naval bases and dockyards.
For operational security reasons further details cannot be released as to do so could be used to undermine the security and capability of our Armed Forces.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many docks in the UK are able to hold Dreadnought class submarines for (a) repairs and (b) maintenance.
Answered by Maria Eagle
There is a strategy in place to upgrade infrastructure and provide suitable docking for the new Dreadnought Class submarines across existing UK naval bases and dockyards.
For operational security reasons further details cannot be released as to do so could be used to undermine the security and capability of our Armed Forces.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many docks will be required to hold Dreadnought submarines by 2035.
Answered by Maria Eagle
There is a strategy in place to upgrade infrastructure and provide suitable docking for the new Dreadnought Class submarines across existing UK naval bases and dockyards.
For operational security reasons further details cannot be released as to do so could be used to undermine the security and capability of our Armed Forces.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the current status is of the Dreadnought-class submarine programme.
Answered by Maria Eagle
The programme remains on track to manufacture four Dreadnought Class submarines within the original cost estimate of £41 billion, consisting of £31 billion and a contingency of £10 billion. The First of Class, HMS Dreadnought, will enter service in the early 2030s.
Asked by: Deidre Brock (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how long the vanguard-class submarines have been on patrol at sea on average in each of the last 10 years.
Answered by Leo Docherty
The Royal Navy has successfully maintained Operation RELENTLESS, the Continuous At Sea Deterrent, for an unbroken 55 years. We do not disclose details of the Operation, including the duration of time spent at sea, as such information could be used to undermine the security and capability of the mission and our personnel.
Asked by: Owen Thompson (Scottish National Party - Midlothian)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of Trident renewal in the period between 2023 and 2050; and what proportion this would be of total Government spending in that period.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
As the replacement warhead programme is in its preliminary phases, it is too early to provide cost estimates for the programme. In the absence of these estimates, it is not possible to express deterrent renewal spend as a proportion of overall Government spending.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make it his policy to diversify the UK's nuclear deterrent capabilities.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
The 2013 Trident Alternatives Review demonstrated that no other system is as capable, resilient or cost effective as our current deterrent capability based on a four nuclear-armed submarine solution. That has not changed; the Trident II D5 missile system, carried by our Vanguard Class submarines, remains the most reliable weapons system in the world having successfully completed more than 190 tests.
The Government has absolute confidence that the UK’s deterrent remains effective, dependable, and formidable. That is why we are continuing to invest in the next generation of Dreadnought Class ballistic missile submarines, in extending the life of the Trident missile and in replacing the warhead, to keep us safe for decades to come.
Asked by: Neale Hanvey (Alba Party - Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much has been spent on the Dreadnought programme.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
As of 31 March 2023, £14.7 billion had been spent on the concept, assessment, and early delivery phases of the Dreadnought Programme.