§ Baroness Strangeasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will reconsider preserving HMS "Cavalier", the last World War 2 serving destroyer, as a museum ship in Great Britain.
§ Lord McIntosh of HaringeyThe sale of HMS "Cavalier" has been agreed between South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council and Star Cruises of Malaysia. South Tyneside MBC has maintained the ship for 10 years, but now considers the costs too great to continue. The agreement secured with the purchasers means that the ship will be maintained in a good state of repair.
The cost of refurbishment of HMS "Cavalier" to public access standards has been estimated at around £500,000. In addition, some £325,000 would be needed annually to run an appropriate visitor centre which included HMS "Cavalier" as the main attraction. The Government cannot undertake such expenditure given other competing priorities.
I understand that South Tyneside MBC applied to the Heritage Lottery Fund for support earlier in the year but were refused. If an application has already been rejected, those applying for the funds should have received feedback on the reasons for their failure. This will have helped them to decide whether to reapply.
We owe a great debt to those who served in the Navy and I appreciate that the future of HMS "Cavalier" is a matter of importance to them.