Vanguard Submarine

Mr. Jenkin
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate the latest year of main gate for the procurement of the first replacement Vanguard submarine necessary in order to maintain the skills base of the UK's existing submarine construction capacity.

Des Browne
The timing of key decisions on the programme to develop new submarines to replace the Vanguard class will be driven by defence needs. Subject to the outcome of the detailed concept work, we would aim to place a contract for their detailed design by around 2012 to 2014. It is too early to speculate on timings beyond that point.