From a comment left on the "Spending challenge" hm-treasury.gov.uk comments area.....
"Nuclear weapons currently cost the UK taxpayer over £2bn a year, yet are
designed to combat a threat that ended with the Cold War two decades
ago. The Government is now in the design stage for a new generation of
submarines to carry Trident nuclear-armed missiles. Construction is yet
to begin and the Coalition has already put £66m of spending on hold
awaiting review. If the replacement of Trident goes ahead, nuclear
weapons costs will rise to around £3bn a year by 2014. During the period
of the Government’s deficit reduction plan, over £60bn is forecast to
be spent on nuclear weapons. In total over £100bn will be spent on
Trident and its replacement in the years ahead. Instead, all spending on
nuclear weapons should cease. This would not impair the UK’s ability to
defend itself but would instead put us on the course towards a world
without nuclear weapons. As long as the UK insists that nuclear weapons
are vital to our defence, other countries will make the same argument
and proliferation will continue."
Source: spendingchallenge.hm-treasury.gov.uk
"Nuclear weapons currently cost the UK taxpayer over £2bn a year, yet are
designed to combat a threat that ended with the Cold War two decades
ago. The Government is now in the design stage for a new generation of
submarines to carry Trident nuclear-armed missiles. Construction is yet
to begin and the Coalition has already put £66m of spending on hold
awaiting review. If the replacement of Trident goes ahead, nuclear
weapons costs will rise to around £3bn a year by 2014. During the period
of the Government’s deficit reduction plan, over £60bn is forecast to
be spent on nuclear weapons. In total over £100bn will be spent on
Trident and its replacement in the years ahead. Instead, all spending on
nuclear weapons should cease. This would not impair the UK’s ability to
defend itself but would instead put us on the course towards a world
without nuclear weapons. As long as the UK insists that nuclear weapons
are vital to our defence, other countries will make the same argument
and proliferation will continue."
Source: spendingchallenge.hm-treasury.gov.uk
Comments