HC Deb 13 May 2003 vol 405 cc159-60W
Dr. Julian Lewis

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to dispose of Royal Navy frigates and destroyers which are not scheduled for fitting with Sonar 2087. [111312]

Mr. Ingram

Sonar 2087, a Low Frequency Active Sonar system, is planned to be fitted in 12 of the 16 Royal Navy Type 23 Frigates but not to any Destroyers. Since it is designed for Anti-Submarine Warfare, there are at present no plans to fit the system in other types of Royal Navy vessels, nor for those Frigates not currently scheduled to be fitted with Sonar 2087 to be disposed of earlier than planned previously.

Dr. Julian Lewis

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to sell(a) Type 22 and (b) Type 23 frigates to Chile within the next 12 months. [111316]

Mr. Ingram

There are no Royal Navy Type 22 or Type 23 frigates planned to become available for sale within the next 12 months. However we have recently concluded a Government to Government Sales Agreement with Chile for HMS Sheffield, a Batch 2 Type 22 frigate.