§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate the cost to his Department of replacing 20 Type 22/23 frigates in the Royal Navy after 2010; and if he will make a statement. [131494]
§ Dr. MoonieThis is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Robert Walmsley to Mr. Mike Hancock, dated 25 July 2000:
I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the cost of replacing 20 Type 22123 frigates in the Royal Navy after 2010. This matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.Current plans envisage a new class of surface combatant which will enter service from around 2013 when the later Type 22 and Type 23 frigates pay off.We expect a contract for the Future Surface Combatant to be placed with a prime contractor in 2007 following competition. The FSC should benefit from the innovative ideas arising from the Type 45 and CVF procurements and it will also exploit emergent technical innovations and concurrent engineering practice to achieve SMART procurement objectives.It would, however, be premature to release details of the budgetary costs of these ships as this could prejudice the negotiations which are expected to take place with industry post initial Gate in mid 2002.