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Written Question
USA: Nuclear Weapons
Thursday 26th October 2017

Asked by: Kelvin Hopkins (Independent - Luton North)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the occasions on which US nuclear warheads have been transferred to British submarines.

Answered by Harriett Baldwin

Since the introduction of the Trident Strategic Weapon System in 1994, no US nuclear warhead has been transferred to a Royal Navy submarine. Records prior to 1994 are not held centrally and the information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.


Written Question
USA: HMS Vigilant
Wednesday 25th October 2017

Asked by: Kelvin Hopkins (Independent - Luton North)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the purpose was of HMS Vigilant's visit to the USA in September 2017.

Answered by Michael Fallon

HMS VIGILANT visited the USA as part of a routine engagement between the UK and the USA in support of the UK's deterrent programme.


Written Question
Nuclear Weapons: Testing
Monday 17th July 2017

Asked by: Kelvin Hopkins (Independent - Luton North)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether any environmental remediation to areas contaminated by the testing of British nuclear warheads in (a) the Nevada nuclear test site, (b) Montebello Island, Maralinga and Emu Field, Australia, (c) Malden Island and Kiritimati and (d) any location from which uranium used in the manufacture of nuclear warheads was procured has been carried out.

Answered by Tobias Ellwood

The UK Government has not undertaken any environmental remediation at the Nevada test site. In 1993, following a report of the Australian Royal Commission on the conduct of British nuclear tests in Australia, the UK Government made an ex gratia payment of £20 million to the Australian Government. This payment was part of a full and final settlement of the UK Government's liability for any claims resulting from the British test programme. The Ministry of Defence has made evaluations of residual contamination on Christmas Island: the last in 1998 concluded that any required remediation had been undertaken. The Ministry of Defence has made no evaluation of the locations from which uranium used in the manufacture of UK nuclear warheads was procured, nor made any environmental remediation.


Written Question
Nuclear Weapons
Monday 17th July 2017

Asked by: Kelvin Hopkins (Independent - Luton North)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his oral Answer of 10 July 2017, Official Report, column 23, to the hon. Member for North Ayrshire and Arran, for what reasons it is Government policy that the nuclear ban treaty should not apply to the UK.

Answered by Michael Fallon

The UK will never sign, ratify or become party to the treaty prohibiting nuclear weapons. We do not believe that it will bring us closer to a world without nuclear weapons as it fails to address the key issues that must first be overcome to achieve lasting global nuclear disarmament. We consider that the best way to achieve a world without nuclear weapons is through gradual multilateral disarmament negotiated using a step-by-step approach within existing international frameworks. The UK continues to work towards global nuclear disarmament through the framework of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.


Written Question
Ministry of Defence: Redundancy
Tuesday 7th February 2017

Asked by: Kelvin Hopkins (Independent - Luton North)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether there will be compulsory redundancies as a result of his Department's site closures.

Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton

Creating a rationalised Defence estate, focused around clusters which better support and enhance military capability, will require relocation of functions.

Where an individual's post is being relocated outside the scope of their personal mobility obligation, they will be managed in accordance with normal Departmental policy and processes. Formal Trades Union consultation will occur well in advance of any closure.


Written Question
Trident Missiles: Testing
Tuesday 31st January 2017

Asked by: Kelvin Hopkins (Independent - Luton North)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what criteria the Government uses to determine whether to announce the (a) date and (b) outcome of tests of Trident missiles.

Answered by Michael Fallon

Prior to conducting a test fire of a Trident missile, the UK strictly adheres to all relevant treaty obligations, notifying relevant nations and interested parties of the test in advance.

There is no set approach to announcing the outcome of a Demonstration and Shakedown Operation. This is decided on a case by case basis and is informed by the circumstances at the time.


Written Question
Ministry of Defence: Innovation
Friday 13th January 2017

Asked by: Kelvin Hopkins (Independent - Luton North)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the Emerging Technology and Innovation Analysis Cell was established; what the annual budget is of that Cell; where that Cell is based; and how many staff that Cell employs.

Answered by Harriett Baldwin

The Emerging Technology and Innovation Analysis Cell has been renamed the Innovation and Research InSight Unit (IRIS). IRIS was established in summer 2016 and was launched as part of the Defence Innovation Initiative by the Secretary of State for Defence in September 2016. IRIS is based in the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and consists of three full-time MOD employees who will be joined by staff from the Home Office. Formal funding is due to commence in Financial Year 2017-18.