To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the submarine dismantling project. (274697)

The project currently has approval to undertake a £14 million assessment phase due to complete in 2011. This will be followed by the demonstration phase which will run from 2011 to 2013; costs for this phase have not yet been approved. Whole life cost figures will be developed as part of the preparation of the main gate business case, which is planned to be submitted for approval in 2013.