§ Rear-Admiral Morgan Gilesasked the Secretary of State for Defence in which year it is now intended to phase out existing aircraft carriers.
§ Mr. FoleyAs my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Defence, made clear in the Defence Debate on 4th March, as reported in the OFFICIAL REPORT—Vol. 760, c. 55.]—we plan to phase out our existing carrier force as soon as our withdrawals east of Suez are complete.