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BASIC PRESS RELEASE

30 NOVEMBER 2006 - IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Publication of Green Paper on Trident Replacement

BASIC is publishing a Green Paper on Trident replacement on Friday, 1st December. The government has announced that it intends to publish its White Paper on Monday afternoon (4th December), with an announcement to the House soon after an emergency Cabinet meeting. Ian Davis, Director of BASIC says:

"We publish this Green Paper to highlight options that will be neglected by the Government's White Paper announcing its decision on Trident replacement on Monday. This decision will have impacts that ripple around the world. It is crucial that the decision is made in the best interests of British and global security, is not railroaded through Parliament in the way it appears to have been through the Cabinet, and that the debate considers all the options. Premature decisions that lock us into expensive, inappropriate systems that drive further proliferation would be a dreadful legacy to leave the next generation."

The Green Paper highlights a number of reasons why it is unnecessary, and undesirable, to rush into a decision at this point. It also raises an alternative option that has so far been largely ignored within the debate, namely the strategy of becoming a virtual nuclear weapon state after the Trident system is decommissioned. This would involve maintaining design and production capacity at Aldermaston, but not deploying the warheads. It is an option that would go a long way to addressing the perceived need for an insurance policy, should the security environment deteriorate. It would also enable Britain to remain at the top table in negotiations while also satisfying our legal and diplomatic commitments to move towards nuclear disarmament - and at a fraction of the cost of full replacement. Judging by other military and civil procurement projects (Astute and the Olympics come to mind) these costs could easily spiral out of control, particularly given the monopoly supplier position of BAE Systems.

FURTHER COMMENT AND INTERVIEWS:
Paul Ingram; Senior Analyst 07908 708175
Ian Davis; Director 07887 782389