§ Mr. Home RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 13 February,Official Report, column 632, how many of the type 22 batch 1 291W frigates have been modified to provide extra accommodation for young officers; at what cost; how many officers will undertake initial sea training in each ship; for what periods of time; and how many type 22 batch 1 frigates will at any one time be unavailable for normal operations as a result.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonThree type 22 batch I frigates have been converted: HMS Broadsword, HMS Brazen and HMS Brilliant, HMS Battleaxe is to follow later in the year. The cost of these modifications to date has been in the order of £514,000.
The modification provides extra accommodation on each ship for up to 65 young officers who will undertake 292W initial sea training (1ST) for eight weeks, seven of which are spent at sea. IST will not affect the operational availability of these ships.