§ Mr. DenhamTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) in what circumstances shipyards other than Rosyth will be entitled to bid to undertake refits of Hunt and Sandown class minehunters in the period up to the year 2005; [30938]
501W(2) what further review he has undertaken of the allocation of future refits of Hunt and Sandown class minehunters as part of his consideration of the possible deferment of the transfer of nuclear refit work from Rosyth to Devonport; and if he will make a statement; [30942]
(3) what circumstances prevailing at the time of individual refits he intends to take into account when determining which shipyards should undertake the refit of Hunt and Sandown class minehunters; [30940]
(4) how he intends to fulfil the commitment referred to in his oral statement of 24 June 1993, Official Report, columns 447–50, to ensure that the cost of refits to Hunt and Sandown class minehunters in the period up to 2005 are fair and reasonable; [30939]
(5) what further review he has undertaken of the allocation of future refits of Hunt and Sandown class minehunters as part of his consideration of the possible privatisation of Rosyth; and if he will make a statement. [30941]
§ Mr. FreemanThe Government's policy on the refitting of Hunt class vessels remains as set out in my right hon. and learned Friend's statement to the House on 24 June 1993, Official Report, columns 447–50. Refits of Sandown class vessels are included in the allocated programme of refits to be undertaken at the royal dockyards. No review of this policy has been undertaken in the context of the planned privatisation of Rosyth or the on-going assessment of docking facilities for nuclear submarines. The precise details of the allocated programme are subject to the circumstances prevailing at the time of individual refits, including operational factors and the needs of other vessels. My Department has considerable information on market rates for refits and maintenance work on a wide variety of vessels. Under our "No Acceptable Price, No Contract" pricing initiative our policy is not normally to place a contract until we are satisfied that the price is fair and reasonable.
§ Mr. DevlinTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what funds for submarine refitting have been diverted from Faslane to Devonport; and what factors underlay this policy. [30038]
§ Mr. FreemanNone. Submarine refits are not undertaken at Faslane.