Frigates (Hansard, 2 November 1989)

Mr. O'Neill
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if there has been any alteration in the last six months of the long-term plans to order type 23 frigates;
(2) if there has been any alteration in the level of funds available for future orders for the type 23 frigate.

§ Mr. Neubert
It is not our practice to comment on long-term planning assumptions. Decisions on orders will be announced as appropriate. The Government remain committed to maintaining a force of about 50 destroyers and frigates and will order sufficient new ships to achieve this target.

Mr. O'Neill
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what ability those type 23 frigates not fitted with an automated command and control system will possess to identify aircraft as either friendly or hostile.

§ Mr. Neubert
The classification of an aircraft as friendly or hostile is based on information from a variety of sources including the ships identification friend or foe (IFF) system and other sensors. In T23 frigates not fitted with a command system this information will be available but will not be correlated automatically.

Mr. O'Neill
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the average annual number of frigates that have been ordered between 1982 and 1988, excluding those vessels ordered to replace Falkland losses.

§ Mr. Neubert
Fourteen frigates were ordered in the period. Excluding the four ordered to replace Falkland losses, this gives an average annual number of 1.4.

Mr. O'Neill
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what regard he has had to the employment implications of future orders for the type 23 frigate;
(2) what regard he has had to the industrial investment implications of future orders for the type 23 frigate.

§ Mr. Neubert
The Government's policy is to place orders for warships following competition, the aim being334W to secure best value for money for the defence budget. Tender prices and compliance with contract conditions will be the major considerations in the current competition for type 23 frigates.
However, as the MOD confirmed in its response to the 31 report from the Committee of Public Accounts (Session 1987–88), its strategy is to maintain sufficient warship-building capacity to meet likely future defence requirements and a competitive base and these twin objectives are always taken into account in the placing of individual ship and submarine orders.