Ships

HC Deb 11 December 1974 vol 883 cc198-9W

Mr. Tebbit

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will name the ships to be taken out of commission as a result of his defence cuts.

Mr. Judd

Details of planned reductions are dependent on the outcome of consultations with our allies and on further study.

Mr. Trotter

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how the proposed reduction of one-seventh in the numbers will be divided as between destroyers, frigates and mine counter-measures vessels.

Mr. Judd

This will depend on the outcome of consultations with our allies and on further detailed study.

Mr. Trotter

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the present number of Royal Fleet auxiliaries divided between major categories; and how the proposed one-third cut is to be applied.

Mr. Judd

The Royal Fleet Auxiliary currently comprises 39 ships in the following categories:

Tankers	20
Dry cargo ships	11
Army support ships	7
Others	1

Of these one tanker is now undergoing survey prior to disposal.

Reductions in afloat support, including Royal Fleet auxiliaries, will depend on the outcome of consultations with our allies and on further detailed study.

Mr. Trotter

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether, under the defence review, it is proposed to hasten the withdrawal from service of any of the County class destroyers.

Mr. Judd

This will depend on the outcome of consultations with our allies and on further detailed study.

Mr. Trotter

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the number and cost of the Royal Fleet auxiliaries built in each of the last 10 years and the extent to which these figures relate to ships built on the Tyne.

Mr. Judd

The total number of Royal Fleet auxiliaries completed during each of the last 10 years and the number built on the Tyne is as follows:

	Total Completions	Completion on the Tyne
1965	2	2
1966	2	2
1967	5	2
1968	—	—
1969	1	1
1970	2	2
1971	—	—
1972	—	—
1973	—	—
1974	2	2

For reasons of commercial confidence it is not the practice to provide cost details for individual contracts, but the total cost of the ships listed was £65 million of which vessels built on the Tyne accounted for £47 million.