The Trident replacement programme has encountered an indefinite delay
The Ministry of Defence has admitted “further time” is now needed
before a crunch decision can be taken on the design of the submarines
needed to carry the new nuclear missiles. The decision was originally
meant to be made last year.
One official statement released last week suggested the earliest the
decision could now be taken was July, which would take it beyond the
forthcoming general election. But this timetable was later disowned by
the MoD in an apparent attempt to save face, without giving an
alternative date.
The main reason for the delay is suspected to be difficulties in
agreeing the type of nuclear reactors that will power the submarines.
According to one senior official, this was “the most tricky issue we
have to deal with”.
The revelation has prompted fierce attacks from opposition politicians
and anti-nuclear groups. “The Government’s plans for Trident
replacement are unravelling,” said MP Nick Harvey, the LibDems’ defence
spokesman.
The weapons system should be up for negotiation at an international
nuclear conference this summer, Mr Harvey argued. Even if Britain still
needed a nuclear “deterrent” after that, it could be smaller and
cheaper than the current Trident system.
The UK Government, backed by a majority of the Westminster Parliament,
took the decision in principle three years to replace Trident
submarines. But before this translates into reality, two other major
decisions have to be made, known in MoD jargon as ‘initial gate’ and
‘main gate’.
‘Initial gate’, which involves approving the major designs for the
submarines, was originally due to be taken last September, then
postponed until December. It is now clear, however, that it has been
postponed again, this time without any fixed deadline.
An official summary of a meeting of the MoD’s Defence Board, one of its
top decision-making bodies, on November 26 last year was released on
request to the Sunday Herald. The summary said the board “took stock of
progress on the successor submarine programme, and the challenges that
remained before it could be initially considered by the Investment
Approvals Board next July”.
This suggests that the many hundreds of millions of pounds of
taxpayers’ money involved in the ‘Initial Gate’ decision will not be
committed until at least July. But when this was put to the MoD, a
spokesman claimed the official summary was mistaken.
The language “was based on an early draft of the Defence Board minutes
that did not fully describe the position,” he said. “This will be
amended when the final minutes are published.”
The MoD spokesman insisted “no final decisions” had yet been made on
the timing of the ‘Initial Gate’ decision. Although it had been planned
for last autumn “further time has been required to ensure we take
decisions based on the most robust information,” he added.
The Scottish Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament welcomed the delay and
said it would ensure Trident was an election issue. Its chairman, Alan
Mackinnon, said: “Every candidate who stands for election should make
it clear whether they are going to cut Trident or vital public
services.” (Original news)
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