§ Mr. Gordon Brownasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the refitting of HMS Euryalus and, in particular (a) the cost comparison with the royal dockyard and (b) damage done to component parts of the frigate during the refit.
§ Mr. LeeThe cost of the refit of HMS Euryalus, in terms of the price paid to the contractor and the other expenses incurred by Ministry of Defence, will be compared on an equitable basis with that of the similar refit of HMS Arethusa at Devonport dockyard. There has been no untoward damage to Euryalus during her refit; recent publicity related to a weapon launcher supplied to the contractor that was found to be defective on setting to work.