HC Deb 25 March 1996 vol 274 cc443-4W
Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the annual running costs for HMY Britannia; and from which subheads of which votes these funds are taken. [22409]

Mr. Soames

The estimated total operating costs of HMY Britannia for the financial year 1995–96 are £8,933,000. Provision for this expenditure is currently made in class I, vote 1, subheads Al and F1 and in class I, vote 2, subheads Al and A2.

Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what studies his Department is carrying out into the replacement of HMY Britannia; what has been the cost of these studies to date; and what is the estimated cost of a replacement for HMY Britannia. [22408]

Mr. Arbuthnot

The possible replacement of HMY Britannia, together with other options for meeting the tasks she presently fulfils, is being examined by an interdepartmental working group. The main cost of this work, which has been confined to a small proportion of the salaries of the officials involved, has not been collected centrally and could not be estimated without disproportionate effort. The cost of any replacement would depend entirely on its design and role.

Mr. Gill

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the average daily cost of crewing HMY Britannia(a) with and (b) without the royal family embarked. [22824]

Mr. Soames

In the current financial year, the present estimated average daily cost of crewing HMY Britannia is about £16,000. The presence, or absence, on board of members of the royal family does not affect crewing levels.

Mr. Gill

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the daily running cost, excluding maintenance and refitting, of HMY Britannia(a) in harbour and (b) at sea with and without the royal family embarked. [22825]

Mr. Soames

This information is not available in the form requested. In the current financial year, however, the present estimated daily total operating costs of HMY Britannia are about £21,000, excluding repair and refit.