A review of the cost of renewing the Trident nuclear system will look at a number of elements associated with the deterrent to ensure they provide value for money, Defence Secretary Dr Liam Fox said recently.

Dr Fox said during a defence debate in the House of Commons yesterday that the Government has committed to maintaining Britain's nuclear deterrent but that the renewal of Trident should be scrutinised to ensure value for money.

Dr Fox said the value for money review would be completed by the end of the month and the findings would go to the Cabinet Office and be considered by the National Security Council.

The council's conclusions will 'inform' both the Strategic Defence and Security Review and the cross-Whitehall Comprehensive Spending Review which will be published in the autumn.

At Commons question time Dr Fox said:

"The programme will cover the timetable itself, submarine numbers, the number of missiles, missile tubes and warheads, infrastructure and other support costs, and the industrial supply chain."

On the commitment to maintain Trident and not to consider it in the Strategic Defence and Security Review, Dr Fox said:

"We know that abroad there are a number of countries trying to develop nuclear weapons.

"We do not know what will happen between now and 2015, the timescale for the Trident replacement programme, and we cannot play fast and loose with Britain's defences."