Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the projected whole life costs for the Lightning programme were in (a) 2022 and (b) 2023.

Portfolio data is published annually in support of the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) Annual Report which includes a budget baseline and the latest HM Treasury approved estimates in respect of whole life costs. The reports are published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/major-projects-data

The financial data for the Lightning Programme in the March 2023 IPA report is withheld under Section 43 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (Commercial Interests).