Navy Support Vessels

HC Deb 21 July 1989 vol 157 cc419-20W

Mr. Wilson

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the total number of Royal Navy support vessels and Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels in each year since 1979.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

The details requested are shown in the table for 1 April in each year:

Year	Royal Navy Support Vessels	Royal Fleet Auxiliary Vessels	Royal Maritime Auxiliary Vessels
1979	3	29	714
1980	3	29	660
1981	3	28	635
1982	2	24	623
1983	2	25	540
1984	2	27	540
1985	3	28	523
1986	3	27	516
1987	4	26	510
1988	3	28	529
1989	2	26	483

The vessels in the third column have a number of support functions: research, mooring and salvage, tugs, range safety, ammunition and sullage, transportation, torpedo recovery and tank cleaning.