Astute Class Submarines

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the estimated cost of the Astute-class submarine from the (a) direct resource departmental expenditure limit (DEL), (b) indirect resource DEL and (c) capital DEL was at 31 March (i) 2001, (ii) 2002, (iii) 2003, (iv) 2004, (v) 2005, (vi) 2006, (vii) 2007, (viii) 2008 and (ix) 2009. (275058)

The information requested is detailed in the following table. The figures include the cost of the Assessment, Demonstration and Manufacture Phases.

*£ million*
	As at 31 March each year
	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008
Direct Resource DEL	29	29	29	29	29	29	29	29
Indirect Resource DEL	442	471	694	667	666	651	655	663
Capital DEL	2,256	2,236	3,016	2,817	2,826	3,005	3,143	3,143
Total	2,727	2,736	3,739	3,513	3,521	3,685	3,827	3,835

I am withholding the figure for 31 March 2009 as this information is intended for future publication in the Major Projects Report 2009.

Volume 493: debated on Monday 1 June 2009