To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on the next generation of the nuclear deterrent since Parliament approved it in principle. (139152)

[holding answer 4 June 2007]: Since Parliament voted on 14 March to support the Government’s decisions, as set out in the White Paper: The Future of the United Kingdom’s Nuclear Deterrent (Cm 6994), to take the steps necessary to maintain the UK’s nuclear deterrent beyond the life of the current system, work has started mobilising MOD and industry to undertake the detailed concept phase for the new class of submarines and on taking forward the UK’s participation in the programme to extend the life of the Trident D5 missile.