§ Mr. FatchettTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 27 March,Official Report, column 504, if he will give (a) the original cost of items listed as held for two years, (b) the date when they were commissioned and (c) an estimate of their current value. [19283]
§ Mr. FreemanFurther to my answer to the hon. Member for Leeds, Central, of 27 March 1995,Official Report, column 504, HMS Kent, a County class destroyer, was commissioned on 15 August 1963 and was last refitted more than 10 years ago prior to the Dockyard privatisation. The original cost was £16 million.
HMS Jupiter and HMS Hermione, Leander class frigates, were commissioned on 9 August and 11 July 1969 respectively and were last refitted during 1986–87. Their original cost was £7 million each.
The 120 mm Wombat anti-tank guns came into service in 1962. The 105 mm pack howitzers entered service in 1961–62. Records of the original cost of these two weapons, which are no longer in service, are not available.
306WThe Spey engine entered service with the RAF in June 1965 in the Phantom aircraft. The original cost of the engines were part of the all-up price for the aircraft and are not separately identifiable.
Most, if not all, of the equipment listed, will shortly appear on the commercial market. It would not be appropriate to reveal likely expectations of sales prices.