Trident

Nick Harvey
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what studies are being carried out into whether to reuse or replace the Trident warhead pit; and when a decision on pit reuse or replacement is likely to be made.

Des Browne
The Atomic Weapons Establishment undertakes a range of studies as part of a warhead assurance programme designed to ensure the safety, effectiveness and durability of the UK nuclear warhead stockpile. This process is designed to enable regular assessments of the service life of any particular pit, and ensure that essential capability continues to be maintained at all times.

There is currently no requirement for any replacement warhead; nor is there any programme to develop one.

Nick Harvey
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has allocated for US contract N00178-04-D-4042 to EG and G, a Trident software support contract for K Development at the Naval Surface Warfare Centre Dahlgren, for the development and testing of (a) UK targeting, (b) reference and simulation models and (c) verifying the removal of US-eyes only items from Trident targeting and fire control software.

Des Browne
The Ministry of Defence does not allocate funding for individual US Government contracts. Arrangements for support of the UK Fire Control Software and related matters are agreed between the US and UK Governments under the Polaris Sales Agreement (as amended for Trident).

Nick Harvey
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 5 June 2006, Official Report, column 35W, on Trident, whether he makes a distinction between designing and developing in the context of work on a new warhead for use in Trident missiles.

Des Browne
We do not draw a distinction between “designing” and “developing” in the context of nuclear warheads. As we said in the 1998 Strategic Defence Review (supporting essay 5 paragraph 14), we maintain a minimum capability at the Atomic Weapons Establishment to design and produce a replacement for the current Trident warhead, should that prove necessary.

There is no programme at the Atomic Weapons Establishment to either develop or design a new nuclear warhead as we currently have no requirement for a new warhead.