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Nuclear Weapons: Expenditure

Asked by James CartlidgeConservativeMinistry of DefenceTabled Answered 19 May 2025UIN 52292

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of the cost of maintaining the nuclear programme was spent in the UK in each of the last five years.

Answered by Maria Eagle

The Defence Nuclear Enterprise (DNE) consists of a range of interdependent programmes to support, maintain and renew the United Kingdom’s independent nuclear deterrent.

For the past two years, over 90% of DNE spend was directly with UK suppliers.

The DNE was established in financial year 2023-24. Due to organisational changes, comparable information is not held centrally for earlier years and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

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