HC Deb 17 June 1980 vol 986 cc1317-8
3. Mr. Viggers

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future warship building programme.

The Under-Secretary of State for Defence for the Royal Navy (Mr. Keith Speed)

I have nothing at the moment to add to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Industry on 2 June 1980, in answer to the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark).

Mr. Viggers

While recognising the quality and sophistication of type 42 and type 22 frigates and their importance to the Fleet, does the Minister agree that their cost is now so great that we should look for alternatives that are cheaper?

Mr. Speed

Yes, I accept that the best can be the enemy of the good, and even the Royal Navy is not immune from that criticism. I assure my hon. Friend that we are looking at possible cheap alternatives in the future, particularly in the anti-submarine area.

Mr. Jay

Have the Government considered the suggestion made in the defence debate that we should preserve shipbuilding capacity in this country by building more small naval antisubmarine and fisheries protection vessels?

Mr. Speed

That is the very point that I was making in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Gosport (Mr. Viggers). At the moment we have under construction at Hall Russell's in Aberdeen two new 75-metre offshore patrol vessels for which, I believe, there will be a considerable export demand as well.

Mr. Farr

When my hon. Friend looks at this programme, will he consider the potential of building new warships and undertaking maintenance contracts at Harland and Wolff in Belfast?

Mr. Speed

Yes, Harland and Wolff is invited to tender for particular refitting, not least on Royal Fleet Auxilliary ships. My officials bear the firm very much in mind when contracts for refits are submitted.

Mr. Duffy

If the Government proceed with the Polaris replacement, will the Minister say where the specialist warship-building capacity will come from that will provide for that replacement and also for the Trafalgar class attack submarine and the new type 2,400 diesel-electric submarine?

Mr. Speed

No decision has yet been taken on the system. When that decision is taken, we must ensure that we have the capability and the capacity to meet those problems.