§ Mr. Duncan SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the timetable is for refurbishment of the Upholder class submarines; and when each one will be ready for delivery to the Canadian Government. [143048]
185W
§ Dr. Moonie[holding answer 15 December 2000]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend Lord Robertston, the then Secretary of State for Defence, gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Wentworth (Mr. Healey) on 6 April 1998, Official Report, column 56W, and to the answers I gave to the hon. Member for Portsmouth, South (Mr. Hancock) on 23 October 2000, Official Report, column 30W, and 19 December 2000, Official Report, columns 89–90W, and to the hon. Member for New Forest, East (Dr. Lewis) on 31 October 2000, Official Report, column 341W. Canada has acquired the four ex-Royal Navy Upholder class submarines, which are powered by diesel-electric engines. The acquisition takes the form of an eight-year lease with an option of outright purchase. Each of the submarines is being refurbished (reactivated) to a standard acceptable to the Royal Navy.
The first of the refurbished submarines was handed over to Canada on 6 October 2000. The three remaining submarines are being refurbished now. A revised programme for handover of the three remaining submarines has recently been released to Canada and identifies handover dates of July 2001 for Boat 2 (HMS Unicorn), January 2002 for Boat 3 (HMS Ursula) and May 2002 for Boat 3 (HMS Upholder).