Prime Minister Theresa May was informed about a recent test of the Trident nuclear deterrent when she came into office last year, Downing Street has said.
But the PM's official spokesperson declined to confirm or deny reports that a missile malfunctioned during the test, stating only that Mrs May was told the operation was completed successfully.
Mrs May refused to answer questions on Sunday over her knowledge of the test, in which an unarmed Trident missile reportedly veered off course off the coast of Florida in June.
But her official spokesperson has now told reporters that the PM was briefed on the "demonstration and shakedown" operation undertaken by HMS Vengeance on its return to service following a refit.
The PM was informed that the operation was successful, allowing Vengeance and its crew to return to service.
The spokesperson told a regular Westminster media briefing that, as a matter of long-standing policy, the Government did not publicly discuss the operational detail of exercises of this type.
A defence minister is to be forced to come to the House of Commons for a grilling on the incident, after Speaker John Bercow granted an urgent question on Trident from Labour's former defence minister Kevan Jones.
May has come under pressure to set out what she knew about the operation, after the Sunday Times claimed there had been a cover-up of a failed test of the Trident II D5 missile.
Appearing on BBC1's Andrew Marr Show on Sunday, the Prime Minister ducked four opportunities to disclose whether she was aware of a problem at the time she addressed MPs before a Commons vote last July to approve the £40 billion Trident renewal programme.
Asked on Monday whether Mrs May had in fact been informed of the result of the test prior to the Commons vote, the PM's spokesperson said: "The Defence Secretary and the Prime Minister are routinely informed when one of these specific 'demonstration and shakedown' operations are planned and on the outcome of them.
"In this instance, that was in June so it was under the then prime minister (David Cameron). On taking office, the current Prime Minister was briefed on a range of nuclear issues, including this."
The spokesperson declined to say whether Mrs May was informed of a malfunction in the missile system, stating that it was not Government policy to discuss operational details of tests in public, and telling reporters that she did not anyway "accept the premise of the question".
"We have been clear that the submarine and the crew were successfully tested and certified," said the spokesperson. "That was the purpose of the operation.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel