§ Mr. Warrenasked the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of submarine refit capacity 319W in the private sector; what account he took of this in assessing the need for investment in Her Majesty's dockyard, Rosyth; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. LeeResponses to the invitation to tender for the commercial refit of HMS Otter—one of the vessels in the comparability exercise in which commercial refits of a frigate and a submarine are being compared with dockyard refits—covered the extent of private sector capability for refitting conventional submarines. However, no United Kingdom company has the resources needed to undertake refuelling-refitting of nuclear submarines, for which the planned investment at Rosyth is primarily intended.