To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the projected expenditure on the Nuclear Warhead Capability Sustainment Programme is (a) in each year from 2008-09 to 2010-11 and (b) over the lifetime of the programme from 2005 to 2015. (170843)

Our financial planning for the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) from 1 April 2008 makes no distinction between management and operation costs and those associated with the Nuclear Warhead Capability Sustainment Programme (NWCSP), which we announced on 19 July 2005, Official Report, column 59WS. This reflects the incorporation of the NWCSP into the core AWE programme, expenditure on which over the next three years is expected to be:

On the same basis, expenditure at AWE over the last three years was:

In line with our announcement of July 2005, some £1.1 billion of the expenditure for the years 2005-06 to 2007-08 is associated with sustaining key skills and facilities.

Spending plans for 2011-12 and beyond will be set as part of the Government’s spending review process.