Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the 260 cap on numbers of nuclear warheads is 76 more than could be operationally deployed at any one time by the Dreadnought class SSBN force.

The United Kingdom is committed to maintaining the minimum number of nuclear warheads needed to guarantee the nuclear deterrent remains credible and effective. To avoid simplifying the calculations of potential adversaries, we will not release publicly the precise number of warheads in the total stockpile, number of operationally available warheads, number of deployed warheads or number of deployed missiles. Therefore, I will neither confirm nor correct the hon. Member's calculation.