HC Deb 06 February 1996 vol 271 cc130-1
12. Mr. Devlin

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent additions to the effectiveness of the Royal Navy have been introduced. [12038]

Mr. Arbuthnot

The Government continue to maintain and enhance the operational effectiveness of the Royal Navy. Over the past year, the second Trident submarine, HMS Victorious, has entered service, the type 23 frigate HMS Richmond has been accepted and the helicopter carrier HMS Ocean has been launched. In addition, a further seven upgraded Sea Harrier aircraft have been delivered.

Mr. Devlin

How many ships are currently on order or out to tender for the Royal Navy? Will my hon. Friend assure me that none of those orders will be cancelled, which is what used to happen under the last Labour Government, when Labour used to say one thing and do another?

Mr. Arbuthnot

I agree with my hon. Friend. At least our decisions are positive. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State said, Labour's decisions on, for example, the TSR2 were all cancellations. Labour would have cancelled Trident. Even the right hon. Member for Sedgefield (Mr. Blair) once said that he would like to ban all nuclear weapons from our soil. We know that Labour cannot be trusted on defence.

Mr. Hutton

Will the Minister accept that the effectiveness of the Royal Navy would be improved by modernising its amphibious capability? Will he therefore tell the House and my constituents when he expects the delayed contract for the replacement of HMS Fearless and HMS Intrepid to be signed?

Mr. Arbuthnot

I accept that the amphibious capability is very important indeed, which is one of the reasons why on Tuesday last week I went to see HMS Fearless as it was being maintained and re-equipped. We believe that it will come out of dock on schedule, in time for its exercise in April. It is very important to maintain that important capability.