HC Deb 07 June 1995 vol 261 cc192-3W
Mr. Steen

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 17 May,Official Report, column 230, on how many occasions since 1965 a guardship from his Department has not attended the Dartmouth royal regatta; if he will list the additional official duties during August 1995 which prevent the attendance of a guardship at the current regatta; and if he will review his decision. [27354]

Mr. Soames

The Royal Navy has on each occasion between 1965 and 1994 been able to provide a vessel to attend the Dartmouth royal regatta. While it is not our practice to reveal the detailed operational programme of the Royal Navy, the following official tasks are being undertaken by Her Majesty's ships during August:

  • Destroyers/Frigates—VJ commemorations—four vessels (visiting London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast)
  • Plymouth Navy Days—five vessels
  • Royal Yacht Escort—one vessel
  • Mine Counter-measure Vessels—VJ Day—one vessel (visiting Liverpool)
  • Navy days—one vessel

Coming on top of the very high levels of operational commitments affecting RN vessels at present, these tasks mean that, regrettably, there is no prospect of providing a ship to attend the 1995 Dartmouth royal regatta.