§ Mr. LawsTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the orders for new warships which he has(a) placed and (b) plans to place for delivery prior to 2015; what his estimate of the cost of these new ships is; when the in-service expected date is in each case; and if he will make a statement. [18795]
§ Dr. MoonieThis Government are undertaking the largest programme of new warship building for many years. Since May 1997 the Ministry of Defence has placed:
(a) contracts for four Alternative Landing Ships Logistic (ALSLs) at an overall value of about £300 million, expected in-service between late 2004 and late 2005. The ALSL class is now expected to be in service earlier than previously envisaged, due to good co-operation between the two shipbuilders (Swan Hunter Tyneside and BAE Systems Marine) concerned;
(b) a prime contract, valued at about £1.3 billion, for three new Type 45 Destroyers, the first of which is expected to enter service in 2007. We announced earlier this year our intention, subject to commercial negotiations, to amend this contract to increase our commitment to a total of six ships.
(c) a lease contract for three new offshore patrol vessels, expected to enter service between autumn 2002 and autumn 2003. The total cost of the lease package is approximately £60 million.
355W(d) a contract for two Survey Vessels, at an approximate cost of £130 million for the vessels and 25 years of support, expected in-service in winter 2002 and summer 2003.
As to our future plans, we expect to purchase two new Future Aircraft Carriers, for which an order is planned in 2004, costing up to £2.9 billion at outturn prices. We currently plan that the first ship will enter service in 2012. Other orders over the next few years will include further ASTUTE class submarines and Type 45 Destroyers.
Our longer-term plans include the future surface combatant programme to replace the current Type 22 and Type 23 Frigates and a variety of other vessels. We are also investigating options to replace the capabilities currently filled by those ships in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary fleet which are scheduled to leave service towards the end of the decade. It is not possible to provide accurate details of the cost or individual in-service dates of these vessels at this stage.
It remains our policy that all new warships will be built in the UK.