Ministers have been accused of trying to hide the unsuccessful test that saw an unarmed Trident II D5 missile launched from a British submarine off the coast of Florida in June.
The malfunction was never revealed to MPs, despite happening just weeks before a crucial Commons vote on the future of the £40bn weapons system.
The MP for Tunbridge Wells came under fire as he was probed on whether he was aware of the misfire during an interview on Sky News on Monday.
SKY NEWS
Greg Clark was grilled during a Sky News interview on Monday
That’s blatantly not true!
Sarah-Jane Mee, Sky News
When quizzed by Sarah-Jane Mee, Mr Clark responded: “It’s not the approach of the Government to comment on the various tests on weapons systems.”
Before Mr Clark could finish, the Sky News presenter interrupted: “That is simply not true!”
“That’s blatantly not true,” she continued. “The Government sends out press releases when successful missile tests have been carried out.
“I was looking at one earlier that actually said ‘a vigilant crew was honoured for their work leading to a successful missile test firing,’ they even received a trophy, so press releases do go out when there are successful missile tests – so why wasn’t Parliament told about one that failed?”
SKY NEWS
Sarah-Jane Mee accused the MP of "blatantly" lying over comment on Trident tests
The uncomfortable Conservative, appearing via a faulty video link from Salford, replied: “I’m sorry I didn’t hear all of your question, but in terms of what has happened in the past – I think there have been occasions when photographs have been released, but as a general policy it has not been the approach to comment on all of the different tests.”
Unhappy with the response to her question, Mee again interrupts the former Communities Secretary and states: “I know you’re having difficulties hearing me, but I am literally looking at a press release talking about a successful missile test firing… So the Government does comment on Trident and the tests carried out.”
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But, as the 49-year-old seemingly dodges the question again, a growingly frustrated Sky News presenter “All people want to know is whether the prime minister knew, or you knew?”
Mr Clark awkwardly refers back to the “general rule” not to comment on each individual weapons test as he seems to have difficulties hearing the question once again.
The car-crash interview echoed similar answers giving by Theresa May on Sunday.
The prime minister refused to explain if she knew about the failed test during a grilling on the Andrew Marr show.
Mrs May repeatedly failed to answer direct questions on her acknowledgement of the test on Sunday.
She said: “I have absolute faith in our Trident missiles.
"When I made that speech in the House of Commons, what we were talking about was whether or not we should renew ourTrident, whether or not we should have Trident missiles, an independent nuclear deterrent in the future.
"I think we should defend our country, I think we should play our role in Nato with an independent nuclear deterrent.”
10 facts about Trident nuclear weapons
Wed, July 20, 2016
As MPs vote to renew the UK's Trident weapons system, we look at the facts about the nuclear weapon.
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The UK's Vanguard fleet of four submarines carrying Trident nuclear missiles are due to become obsolete by the end of 2020
Demands for more details about the malfunction have come from Labour and the Scottish National Party.
Both Jeremy Corbyn and Nicola Sturgeon are urging the Government to give a full explanation to MPs on how the test firing went wrong.
Shadow chancellor John McDonnell said it was "extremely worrying" Parliament had not been told of June's incident.
On Monday a senior conservative moved to blame the Trident ‘cover-up’ on David Cameron.
Julian Lewis, the chairman of the Commons defence committee, told the Today programme: “In fairness to the present prime minister one has to accept that she has been dealt a rotten hand because this matter, the decision to cover it up, if there was such a decision, as appears to be the case, was taken in the dying days of the Cameron administration when spin doctors were the rule in No 10 Downing Street.”
A spokesman for Mr Cameron's former media team told the Huffington Post it was "entirely false" to suggest there had been any notion of a 'cover-up'.
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