Government promises to allow MPs Trident vote

Published on Tuesday 31 March 2009 02:18

NO TAXPAYERS' money will be spent on developing a replacement for the Trident nuclear warhead without the approval of parliament, the Defence Secretary, John Hutton, indicated yesterday.

Mr Hutton said he expected a vote would need to be taken in the next parliament about the missile programme.

The cost of developing a new warhead was 2-3 billion at 2006-7 prices, Mr Hutton told MPs at question time. He added: "We have not, however, yet made a decision to develop a new UK nuclear warhead.

"There is work being undertaken to inform decisions, likely to be taken in the next parliament, on whether and how we might need to refurbish or replace our current warhead."

Jeremy Corbyn, a Labour left-winger, asked for a guarantee "there would be no expenditure on development" without the specific approval of MPs. He also questioned the legality of the project under the terms of the non-proliferation treaty (NPT).

Mr Hutton said: "I believe it certainly would be within the framework of the NPT."

And he added: "Yes, I believe there should be a vote in this House before such a decision."