Asked by: Crispin Blunt (Independent - Reigate)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress his Department has made since the publication of the National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015 on the Trident renewal programme in November 2015; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Philip Dunne
Further to the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015, we are investing an additional £642 million in the design of the Successor submarine and ordering additional long-lead items, including for the fourth submarine. Negotiations with industry remain on-going on options for the subsequent investment stages and their scope, time and cost. The 2016 Annual Update to Parliament, which sets out progress on the Successor submarine programme, is planned for later this year.
Asked by: Crispin Blunt (Independent - Reigate)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent estimate he has made of the capital costs of (a) replacing the Vanguard fleet with four new Successor submarines and (b) other foreseeable elements within the Trident renewal project up to the late 2030's.
Answered by Philip Dunne
As stated in the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015, our latest estimate is that manufacturing the four Successor submarines is likely to cost a total of £31 billion, including inflation over the lifetime of the programme. We will also set a contingency of £10 billion. The MOD budget for the Spending Review period published in Budget 2016 included this latest estimate for the relevant period.
Asked by: Crispin Blunt (Independent - Reigate)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department's capital programme prepared for Budget 2016 included revised estimates for the Trident Successor project.
Answered by Philip Dunne
As stated in the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015, our latest estimate is that manufacturing the four Successor submarines is likely to cost a total of £31 billion, including inflation over the lifetime of the programme. We will also set a contingency of £10 billion. The MOD budget for the Spending Review period published in Budget 2016 included this latest estimate for the relevant period.
Asked by: Crispin Blunt (Independent - Reigate)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when his Department last completed an assessment of the whole life cost of the Successor programme.
Answered by Philip Dunne
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 23 October 2015 to Question 12152. | |||||||
Asked by: Crispin Blunt (Independent - Reigate)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his Department's latest estimate is of (a) the whole life programme cost of the Successor programme, (b) capital costs associated with (i) submarine acquisition, (ii) Trident missile renewal and (iii) basing facilities, (c) the running and support costs of the Successor fleet and associated capability to protect and sustain it, (d) all future costs associated with the Atomic Weapons Establishment maintaining a capability to maintain an on-going nuclear warhead design capability and (e) decommissioning costs.
Answered by Philip Dunne
The May 2011 Initial Gate Parliamentary Report set out an estimate for the Successor submarine acquisition of around £25 billion, based on a four boat solution, spread over some 25 years. These estimates are currently being refreshed to inform the Comprehensive Spending Review and Strategic Defence and Security Review.
Once the new fleet of SSBNs come into service, we expect that the in-service costs of the UK’s nuclear deterrent, which include the costs of the Atomic Weapons Establishment, basing and disposals, will be similar to the current system, at around six per cent of the defence budget.
While we have no plans to replace the current Trident D5 missile, we are participating with our US partners in a programme to extend the current life to the 2060s. The estimated cost is around £250 million.
Asked by: Crispin Blunt (Independent - Reigate)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when his Department last carried out an assessment of the whole life cost of the Successor programme.
Answered by Philip Dunne
The May 2011 Initial Gate Parliamentary Report set out an estimate for the Successor submarine acquisition of around £25 billion, based on a four boat solution, spread over some 25 years. These estimates are currently being refreshed to inform the Comprehensive Spending Review and Strategic Defence and Security Review.
Once the new fleet of SSBNs come into service, we expect that the in-service costs of the UK’s nuclear deterrent, which include the costs of the Atomic Weapons Establishment, basing and disposals, will be similar to the current system, at around six per cent of the defence budget.
While we have no plans to replace the current Trident D5 missile, we are participating with our US partners in a programme to extend the current life to the 2060s. The estimated cost is around £250 million.
Asked by: Crispin Blunt (Independent - Reigate)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what risk assessments his Department has made of the Successor submarine and Trident missile renewal programmes; and whether a further such risk assessment is planned to inform a final main gate decision.
Answered by Philip Dunne
Ministry of Defence and Treasury officials are involved in scrutinising and assuring the costs and the levels of risk within the Successor submarine and Trident D5 missile life extension programmes, including before major investment decisions.
Asked by: Crispin Blunt (Independent - Reigate)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost of the advertising budget to support reserve recruitment campaigns has been to date; and what the overall budget is for such expenditure in the future.
Answered by Julian Brazier
During financial year (FY) 2013-14, the total cost of the Maritime Reserves' recruitment advertising was £2.16 million. The Maritime Reserves' budget for Reserves recruitment advertising in FY 2014-15 is £2.96 million.
The Army's 'More Than Meets The Eye' recruiting campaign is designed to attract applications to both the Regular and Reserve components of the Army. The cost of the Reserve element of the campaign is, therefore, an estimate based on a 50% share of the overall campaign cost. During FY 2013-14, the Army estimates that the cost of advertising for Army Reserve recruitment was £1.882 million. The projected share of the budget to be spent on Army Reserve recruitment advertising in FY 2014-15 is £3.8 million.
During FY 2013-14, the total cost of the RAF's Reserve recruitment advertising was £2.52 million. In 2014-15, the RAF's budget for Reserves specific recruitment advertising is £2.14 million.
Asked by: Crispin Blunt (Independent - Reigate)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the current trained strength is of the Army Reserve.
Answered by Julian Brazier
I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend, the Minister of State for Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans (Anna Soubry) gave on 23 June 2014 (Official Report, column 86W) to the hon. Member for Barnsley Central (Mr Jarvis).
Asked by: Crispin Blunt (Independent - Reigate)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the potential cost to the public purse of the Al-Sweady public inquiry.
Answered by Lord Hammond of Runnymede
The Al-Sweady Inquiry has cost the public purse £28.4 million to 31st March 2014. The potential cost of the Inquiry to its completion is £31.1 million.
This includes costs for inquiry personnel, all legal and professional services, including paralegals, legal investigators, translation services, costs of the Inquiry hearing rooms and associated utilities, IT, and expenses incurred in obtaining witness evidence.