§ Earl Attleeasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they remain committed to ensuring that subsequent batches of the Type 45 destroyer can be made subject to competitive tendering; and [HL272]
How they will ensure that future batches of Type 45 destroyers are competitively priced; and [HL272]
Whether single sourcing of the Type 45 destroyer will compromise the ability to have design modifications in future batches competitively priced; and [HL273]
Whether they will ensure that nothing in the design of the Type 45 destroyer will preclude its construction at any recognised United Kingdom warship yard. [HL274]
§ The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean)The contract for the demonstration and first of class manufacture (DFM) phase, which covers the completion of the design and the build of the first three Type 45 destroyers, was placed with BAE Systems Electronics (the prime contractor for the Type 45 programme) on 20 December. Our procurement strategy for the programme has not changed. Under this, the first ship (HMS Daring) would be assembled by BAE Systems Marine with a substantial contribution by Vosper Thornycroft (VT), while the second ship (HMS Dauntless) would be assembled by VT and the third ship (HMS Diamond) by BAE Systems Marine. Both Marine and VT shipbuilders remain closely involved with all aspects of the design of the Type 45.
It remains our intention that procurement of follow on batches of Type 45 destroyers will be subject to competitive tendering.
It is also intended that all UK shipyards will have the opportunity to compete for the manufacture of certain modules/components of the first three ships and to bid for 100 per cent of such manufacture of the second batch of Type 45s and for ship assembly later in the programme. Bids for work should be made to the prime contractor at the appropriate time.