§ Mr. WyattTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make it her policy that (a) HMS Whimbrel and (b) HMS Zenith be preserved in Chatham Dockyard. [52876]
§ Dr. Howells[holding answer 26 April 2002]: The Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust have no knowledge of any plans to seek the preservation of either HMS Whimbrel or HMS Zenith at Chatham. Neither were built at Chatham—HMS Whimbrel was a sloop built at Yarrow in 1942 and HMS Zenith a destroyer built by Denny's in 1944. Both were sold after the war to the Egyptian Navy. The trust's research suggests that neither ship served with the Chatham Division of the Royal Navy during the Second World War.
The trust's current museum collecting policy does not foresee the acquisition of further ships. Not only would there be difficulty in locating them (the trust's three dry docks are occupied with their existing ships) but the trust does not have the financial resources available to support further major vessels.
§ Mr. WyattTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with the Egyptian ambassador to London on(a) HMS Whimbrel and (b) HMS Zenith. [52877]
§ Dr. Howells[holding answer 26 April 2002]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has had no such discussions with the Egyptian ambassador to London.