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Topical question asked in the House of Commons, by Lord Robathan (Conservative). It was answered on Monday, 12 January 2009 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.


Topical Questions

Question
Given that the Government have stated that the two aircraft carriers that were ordered are critical not just to future defence policy and operations, but to the future of the Royal Navy, can the Secretary of State give us a full explanation of how long the aircraft carriers will be delayed and of the impact that that will have on future operations and policy? Why should the rest of the country not see that as a full defence cut?
Answer

It was not a defence cut in any sense. What we have done is to align better the in-service date of the two carriers with the in-service date of the new JSF aircraft designed to fly off them. The rescheduling of the carriers by between one and two years makes a lot of sense, and is without any cost whatsoever to the nation's defence capability.


Secondary information

Type
Oral question
Reference
486 c18-9 
Session
2008-09
Oral question type
1st Supplementary
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
Subjects
Aircraft carriers
Link
View this Topical question on www.publications.parliament.uk