§ Mr. ViggersTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the proposed timetable and specification are for the construction of the proposed two hospital ships. [72396]
§ Dr. MoonieHospital ships are subject to a number of constraints under the Geneva conventions which limit their military utility severely. I assume therefore that the hon Member is referring to our requirement for an afloat primary casualty receiving capability. This project entered its Assessment Phase last year, and the project team is currently investigating a number of possible solutions to the requirement, including purpose-built or converted shipping, and modular solutions based on other hulls as required. It is therefore too early to suggest a particular specification or timetable for the chosen solution's construction, but the capability is expected to enter service later this decade.