Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department plans for the Modernising Defence Programme to assess the global threat of nuclear proliferation and its effect on UK security.
Answered by Gavin Williamson
The Modernising Defence Programme will be informed by the current global security situation and will take into account a comprehensive range of threats, building on the National Security Risk Assessment 2015 and the work conducted across Government for the National Security Capability Review.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans for the Modernising Defence Programme to consider defence diversification and its relevance for the UK defence industry.
Answered by Gavin Williamson
The Modernising Defence Programme includes a workstream to modernise the Ministry of Defence's relationship with industry by improving on commercial capability and strategic supplier management.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department plans for the Modernising Defence Programme to specify how the Dreadnought Programme is to be funded.
Answered by Gavin Williamson
The aim of the Modernising Defence Programme is to deliver better military capability and value for money, so that Defence is configured to address the more complex threats we face as well as achieve enduring affordability.
The ultimate defensive and protective capability, our nuclear capabilities, including Dreadnought programme continue to be funded from the Defence budget.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to implement a defence review before 2020; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Gavin Williamson
The Ministry of Defence continues to implement the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015. The work conducted through the National Security Capability Review and now, the Modernising Defence Programme will build on this. There are currently no plans to conduct a Defence Review before the next Strategic Defence and Security Review.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with the (a) the Prime Minister and (b) Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential merits of holding a defence review before 2020.
Answered by Gavin Williamson
The Ministry of Defence continues to implement the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015. The work conducted through the National Security Capability Review and now, the Modernising Defence Programme will build on this. There are currently no plans to conduct a Defence Review before the next Strategic Defence and Security Review.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the costs of the Government's planned nuclear infrastructure projects at Faslane and Coulport.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
The costs of the nuclear infrastructure projects are:
Faslane Nuclear Infrastructure Continuous Availability Project - £507 million
Coulport Infrastructure Continuous Availability Project - £289 million
Faslane Nuclear Support Hub Project - £76 million
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the safety of the Trident nuclear weapons system; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
The safety of the public, our submarine crews, the defence workforce and the protection of the environment remain the Department's priority. Overall, the Defence Nuclear Programme achieves the required standards of nuclear and radiological safety. Nuclear safety has not been compromised.
The Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator Annual Assurance Reports for the periods 2015-16 and 2016-17 will not be published as it has been assessed to do so would impact national security. This does not prevent the effective management and independent assessment of the Defence Nuclear Programme, nor prevent its duty holders being held to account, but we cannot accept any compromise of our capabilities in the current security climate.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether expenditure for planned nuclear infrastructure projects at Faslane and Coulport will come out of the existing budget for Trident.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
Planned nuclear infrastructure projects at Faslane and Coulport are funded separately from the budget for the Dreadnought programme.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether additional funds will be allocated to the Trident replacement programme in the 2017-18 financial year which have not already been budgeted for.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 13 November 2017 to Question 111415 to the hon. Member for Inverclyde (Ronnie Cowan).
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what specific projects and programmes are scheduled to take place to expand nuclear infrastructure at Faslane and Coulport.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
Three current projects to improve infrastructure are currently taking place: Faslane Nuclear Infrastructure Continuous Availability Project, Coulport Infrastructure Continuous Availability Project and the Nuclear Support Hub Project.