§ Mr. SarwarTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the planned timetable for his Department's shipbuilding orders this year. [122901]
§ Mr. HoonWe expect to place contracts for two Survey Vessels during this summer, and, by the end of this year, for the Demonstration and First of Class manufacture of the new Type 45 Anti War Warfare Destroyer, and for two Alternative Landing Ships Logistics. These ships will all be built in the UK. We also plan to procure a range of smaller craft during the year.
It is also intended to procure a strategic sealift under Private Finance Initiative arrangements later this year which will involve the construction of six ro-ro ferries although in this case the vessels themselves would be ordered by the service provider not by the MOD.