HC Deb 09 February 1990 vol 166 cc815-6W
Mr. Boyes

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many(a) nuclear-powered hunter killer and (b) Polaris submarines have been withdrawn from duties or recalled from patrol following the recent discovery of faults in Royal Navy nuclear submarine reactors.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

I have nothing to add to the answers that I gave the hon. Member for St. Helens, North (Mr. Evans) on 5 February at column460.

Mr. Boyes

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many submarines and of which types, were withdrawn from Soviet naval service in 1989; and what was the comparable figure for 1988.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

Over the past two years the Soviet Navy has embarked on a major force modernisation programme to rid its inventory of obsolete submarines. The rate at which units are being decommissioned and the numbers subsequently sold for scrapping in foreign shipyards has increased markedly during 1989. During that year the Soviets removed a total of at least 35 submarines from service compared with at least two in 1988. The vast majority of these units were the 1950s vintage WHISKEY class general purpose diesel submarines.

Mr. Boyes

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much money has been spent so far on conceptual and design work on a new generation of hunter killer submarines for the Royal Navy.

Mr. Neubert

Concept studies were completed in 1985. Some £28 million at 1989–90 prices has been spent so far on feasibility studies for a new generation of hunter killer submarines for the Royal Navy.

Mr. Boyes

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if, as part of his policy of devolving budget responsibilities and allocating costs to users, he will instruct hunter killer submarine units to charge the Polaris force for anti-submarine protection services rendered.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

No.

Mr. Boyes

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether a Royal Navy Polaris submarine has ever been detected by Soviet forces while on patrol.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

The Soviet Union has never to our knowledge detected one of our Polaris submarines on patrol.