SSN Submarine

HC Deb 29 November 1991 vol 199 cc677-8W

Mr. O'Neill

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will place an order for the SSN-20 submarine.

Mr. Franks

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he intends to place a contract for the studies into the design of a new SSN to replace the Swiftsure class.

Manpower
4.17 Outflow of United Kingdom Regular Forces: by Service1
Number
	Financial years	1 April–31 December
	1985–86	1986–87	1987–88	1988–89	1989–90	1989	1990
All Services	36,521	36,961	36,938	39,278	42,567	31,987	30,338
Male	33,881	34,194	34,054	36,556	39,485	29,711	28,035
Officers	3,388	3,528	3,374	3,369	3,646	2,865	2,627
Servicemen	30,493	30,936	30,680	33,187	35,839	26,846	25,408
Female	2,640	2,767	2,884	2,722	3,082	2,276	2,303
Officers	351	334	328	335	331	251	248
Servicewomen	2,289	2,433	2,556	2,387	2,751	2,025	2,055
Royal Navy	6,915	6,919	6,224	5,970	6,792	4,951	5,220
Male	6,356	6,295	5,603	5,382	6,137	4,466	4,710
Officers	648	620	671	653	714	538	537
Servicemen	5,708	5,675	4,932	4,729	5,423	3,928	4,173
Female	559	624	621	588	655	485	510

Mr. Alan Clark

As I told the House on 15 October at column 173, we are evaluating designs for a further class of nuclear-powered fleet submarines based on the existing Trafalgar class. A design study contract has been placed with Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd. today. If the studies are successful, an order for the design and build of the first of class submarine could be placed in the mid-1990s.