HC Deb 23 March 2000 vol 346 cc614-5W
Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the status of HMS Kent; when she will be ready for service; what are the causes and cost of the delays; and if he will make a statement. [114764]

Dr. Moonie

This 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 Sir Robert Walmsley to Mr. Mike Hancock, dated 23 March 2000: I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the status of HMS KENT; when she will be ready for service; what are the causes and costs of the delays; and if he will make a statement. This matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency. HMS KENT is currently undergoing post-build weapons trials and safety training. The ship will become operational on 13 December 2000. There has been no delay to this date which has been the basis for planning since construction began. During the build of such a complex ship it is not unusual for minor changes to requirements and timings to be made. HMS KENT was built with a new bridge layout, but during Contractor's Sea Trials, options to improve the functionality of the bridge were identified and subsequently contracted for at a cost of £715K. Despite this extra work, HMS KENT was delivered to the Royal Navy by the contractor (now BAE SYSTEMS) on 9 February 2000, ahead of the scheduled Contract Acceptance Date of 8 March 2000.

Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost was of producing the RV 'Trinton'; when she will begin sea trials; when she will be put into service; what her mission will be; and if he will make a statement. [115745]

Dr. Moonie

RV 'Triton' is currently being built by Vosper Thorneycroft at Southampton. The cost of the ship is approximately £13.5 million, which is being funded by the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA).

RV 'Triton' will start contractor sea trials in July of this year and will be delivered later in the autumn to begin two years of sea trials to evaluate the hullform as a contender for future warship designs. On completion of the first two years' trials, the ship's role will be as a trials facility to test and evaluate at sea many different equipments and systems, either commercial or military. As a trials platform, RV 'Triton' will be owned by DERA and will not 'enter service' with the Royal Navy in the military use of the phase.