Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of his timetable for reaching 2.5% GDP of expenditure on defence on (a) infrastructure investment required to support and (b) other aspects of the Defence Nuclear Enterprise.

The Government remains committed to spending 2.5% of GDP on defence. This will be dealt with at a future fiscal event. Defence spending plans and consideration of their impact will be assessed as part of the Spending Review and the Strategic Defence Review.

As set out in the Terms of Reference for the Strategic Defence Review, the Government has a total commitment to the independent UK nuclear deterrent. The Strategic Defence Review will consider the efficiency and effectiveness of the nuclear programme.

The timing of the next Spending Review will be announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer.