§ Mr. ViggersTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what discussions Her Majesty's Government have had with(a) the Canadian Government or (b) any other party about the sale or transfer of one or all of the four Upholder class submarines; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what disposal price he has placed on submarines in the Upholder class;
(3) what is his best estimate of the production cost of each of the four submarines of the Upholder class;
(4) what is his best estimate of the total cost of the design, development and production of the Upholder class of submarines;
(5) on what date each submarine in the Upholder class entered service or will enter service.
§ Mr. AitkenI refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley (Mr. Foulkes) on 15 February 1993,Official Report, columns 71–72.
§ Mr. ViggersTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many diesel-electric-powered conventional submarines are currently in service with the Royal Navy; and whether decisions have been taken about the future of each of them.
§ Mr. AitkenThree submarines of the Oberon class, which on current plans is to be replaced _by the Upholder class, remain in service, along with one Upholder boat. The position on the remaining Upholder class boats remains as set out in the answers given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces to the hon. Member for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley (Mr. Foulkes), on 15 February,Official Report, columns 71–72.