A Freedom of Information request revealed today that spending on two AWE nuclear weapons sites in Berkshire has doubled from a budgeted £2 billion to almost £4 billion.
Kate Hudson, CND general secretary, said:
“Spending on Trident is in chaos. Today we learn that the cost of upgrading the nuclear bomb factories in Berkshire has doubled in a single year to almost £4 billion, compared with £2 billion in the budget.
“Last year, when the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament added up the publicly available figures for replacing Trident – including the cost of the submarines, the in-service costs and infrastructure – we discovered a total spend of £205 billion on Trident. This already astronomical figure is set to rise even further if the government continues to write blank cheques for component parts like the AWE sites reported on today.
“Why does the government have such a cavalier approach to spending when it comes to nuclear weapons? Imagine if those billions were spent instead on the NHS, ending the public sector pay cap, and investment in tackling terrorism and cyber-warfare?”
