HC Deb 29 July 1976 vol 916 cc403-4W
Mr. Banks

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the ships in the Royal Navy refitted during the last 12 years, their original cost and date of launching, the costs of each refit, the period of their subsequent or expected operational service, and the then costs of an equivalent new ship at the time the ships listed were recommissioned.

Mr. Duffy

I regret that this information is not readily available and could not be assembled without disproportionate effort.

Mr. Banks

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what delays in new ship completions for the Royal Navy are anticipated as a result of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's recent statement on cuts;

(2) what is the number of ships that were due to be taken out of service in the Royal Navy that will now continue in commission due to the effects of the recently-announced cuts in defence expenditure.

Mr. Duffy

A study is in train to identify the precise measures which will be taken to implement the reduction. No major ship programme will, however, be affected.

Mr. Banks

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the ships in the Royal Navy due for retirement before 1980 and new ships due to be commissioned in the same period.

Mr. Duffy

It is not the normal practice to give advance information about ship disposals or, except for the current year, about the new construction programme. Ships expected to enter service in 1976 are set out in Chapter III, paragraph 7, of the Statement on the Defence Estimates 1976 (Cmnd 6432).

Mr. Banks

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the number of ships in the Royal Navy expected to be still in service for longer than 15 years from their launching dates in 1980 on current estimates.

Mr. Duffy

It is not the normal practise to release such information about the future composition of the Fleet.