§ Mr. WilsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes have occurred in the projected in-service date of HMS Upholder since 1987; and what are the reasons for such changes.
§ Mr. SainsburyHMS Upholder is planned to be delivered by the contractor around the end of 1989. The delivery date forecast in 1987 was August 1988. This change was due, first, to industrial action at VSEL during 1988 and, secondly because of a number of technical problems with new-to-service equipment on this the first of a new class of diesel-electric submarines.