Written question asked by Lord Davies of Stamford (Conservative) on Thursday, 21 June 2001, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 5 July 2001. It was answered by Adam Ingram (Labour) on Thursday, 5 July 2001 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Ministry of Defence

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if Type 23 frigates were procured to replace Type 22 frigates; and if he will make a statement.

Answer: Mr. Quentin Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if type 23 frigates were procured to replace type 22 frigates; and if he will make a statement. [958] Mr. Ingram: The type 23 class frigate was conceived in the late 1970s as a light anti-submarine frigate whose primary role was to meet the then Soviet nuclear submarine threat in the North Atlantic. This new class was intended to replace the Leander class frigate, which was developed in the 1950s and the type 21 class frigate, developed in the 1960s, as the backbone of the Royal Navy's surface ship anti-submarine force. The type 23 class frigate was not procured as a replacement for the type 22 frigate.

Secondary information