Nuclear Submarines
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) which locations are being considered as an alternative operating base for the Vanguard class SSBN submarines; (2) what criteria his Department plans to use to evaluate future locations for the operating base of Vanguard class SSBN submarines; [90796]
(3) which Royal Navy sites are equipped to become the operating base of Vanguard class SSBN submarines; [90797]
(4) if he will estimate the likely cost of developing a new operating base for the Vanguard class SSBN submarines. [90798]
Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the cost of moving (a) T class and (b) Astute class submarines to Plymouth. [90637]
Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department has made plans for the base porting of Royal Navy nuclear submarines in the case of future independence of Scotland and Scotland becoming a nuclear-free zone. [90644]
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the possibility of Scottish independence, what assessment he has made of the feasibility of moving Vanguard class SSBN submarines from Faslane to Devonport. [91071]
Peter Luff [holding answers 19, 20 and 23 January 2012]:The Ministry of Defence is not making plans to change the base ports of those classes of submarines currently base-ported at Her Majesty's Naval Base Clyde. The Department does not therefore hold cost estimates or other information that would relate to such changes.
The Government are clear that Scotland benefits from being part of the UK and the UK benefits from having Scotland within it. The Government are not making plans for independence as we are confident that people in Scotland will continue to support the Union in any referendum.
30 Jan 2012 : Column 426W Trident Missiles
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what annual service fees are paid to the US Administration for the storage and reprocessing of Trident missiles at the Strategic Weapons Facility Atlantic, Kings Bay, Georgia. [91253]
Peter Luff: Under the Polaris Sales Agreement as amended for Trident, the UK pays the US Department of Defence an annual contribution towards the overall cost of the US Navy's Strategic Weapons Facility at Kings Bay, Georgia.
This contribution, which includes storage and reprocessing work, is based on the UK's share of the overall missile inventory, and amounts to around £12 million a year.
