To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if his Department will estimate the financial cost to the UK of (a) procuring, deploying and operating Ground-Based Interceptors from the US missile defence Ground-Based Midcourse Defence system and (b) developing, procuring, deploying and operating a missile for the Type-45 destroyers that has equivalent or similar anti ballistic missile capability to the US Standard Missile-3. (103756)

No decisions have yet been taken on whether or not to acquire ballistic missile defence for the United Kingdom. Work by officials continues to examine potential options for future UK participation in a missile defence system, including the strategic, cost and legal issues arising. UK officials are also working with their NATO counterparts to consider the implications of a NATO Feasibility Study into options for Alliance missile defence. Given the range of options that might be available it is premature to speculate on the possible costs.