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AWE Management

Volume 470: debated on Monday 7 January 2008

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) name, (b) function, (c) estimated cost and (d) projected in-service date is of each of the 23 new build projects in the Atomic Weapons Establishment Site Development Context Plan 2005-15. (170844)

The 23 projects included in each of the functions in the Atomic Weapons Establishment Site Development Context Plan 2005-15 are listed in the following table. Where applicable, the names of projects are indicated where they have been finalised. The function of each project correlates with the headings in the plan. Costs not shown are being withheld as their disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice commercial interests. Projected in-service dates are shown in five-year bandings in order to avoid prejudice to national security and/or defence interests.

These facilities are required to support the UK's current warhead in-service. Decisions on whether and how we may need to refurbish or replace this warhead are likely to be necessary in the next Parliament.

Name of project

Cost (£m)1

Function

Projected in-service period 2007-10

Orion Laser

183

Testing/research

IT server buildings (two projects)

30

Computer/communications

New office accommodation Phase 1

71

Office and business support accommodation

New office accommodation Phase 2

Office and business support accommodation

New office accommodation Phase 3

Office and business support accommodation

Modular accommodation five buildings

25

Office and business support accommodation

Car park

0.1

Office and business support

Car park

Office and business support

Landscaping

Environmental

Projected in-service period 2011-15

Small components interim

Manufacturing/production

High explosives climatic trials

Manufacturing/production

Warhead assembly/disassembly

Manufacturing/production

Systems engineering

Manufacturing/production

Hydrodynamics

Testing/research

High performance computer

Computing/communications

High explosives fabrication

Manufacturing/production

Chemical processing

Manufacturing/production

Landscaping

Environmental

Projected in-service period 2016-20

Uranium components

Manufacturing/production

High explosives assembly for trials

Testing/research

Small components

Testing/research

Laboratory

Testing/research

12007-08 prices.