HC Deb 14 December 1981 vol 15 cc56-7W
Sir Frederick Burden

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether the facilities at Devonport Dockyard will enable the refuelling and refit of three SSN submarines to take place simultaneously.

Mr. Blaker

Facilities will be available at Devonport to meet the requirements of a three-stream refitting programme. Three-stream refitting does not imply the intention to refit and refuel three SSNs simultaneously. The programme will allow one submarine to be in the final test stages before resuming operational duty, another to be at about the mid-way point of refit and a third at the opening phase of refit.