Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the (a) effectiveness and (b) financial sustainability of the Vanguard-class life extension programme.

As one of our key suppliers, we hold regular discussions with Babcock covering a wide range of programme and supply chain matters. We remain committed to working closely with Babcock to safely deliver submarine support work, including planned maintenance projects. The contract for HMS Vanguard's planned period of extended maintenance and refuel work was awarded in 2015 and is funded by the Ministry of Defence (MOD). The MOD has an existing team in Devonport in support of submarine maintenance delivery; this is part of a long-standing arrangement, which now includes increased performance monitoring.