Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Government Ministers attended Royal Navy SSBN and Trident II D5 demonstration and shakedown operations in (a) 2012 and (b) 2016.

No UK Government Ministers attended the Demonstration and Shakedown Operations (DASO) in the US in 2012 and 2016. Overall, 30 UK personnel attended the 2012 DASO and 42 attended in 2016. All attendees required accommodation in US hotels for periods of between two and four nights depending on whether they were witnessing rehearsal activity and the launch or only the launch.

In 2012, eight guests were invited on board the HMS Vigilant; three military and five civilians. Three of these guests were considered VIPs. In 2016, seven guests were invited on board HMS Vengeance; four military and three civilians. Three of these guests were considered VIPs.

In 2012, eleven civilian guests, including UK Government officials, industrial partners and academics, attended the DASO on board the Launch Area Surface Ship, and 28 civilians attended the DASO in 2016.