---

Ministry of Defence

Answer

Rachel Squire: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will make a statement on the role of Rosyth dockyard in the (a) construction and (b) equipping of the (i) Type 45 and (ii) new aircraft carrier; [130664] (2) whether Rosyth dockyard will be (a) the whole ship integration yard for the new aircraft carrier and (b) involved in the block construction of the new aircraft carrier. [130665] Mr. Ingram: As the Secretary of State for Defence announced on 30 January, our view at this stage of the assessment process is that the future aircraft carriers should be built by a combination of four UK shipyards. In addition to the Babcock BES facility at Rosyth, we would envisage construction work being carried out by: BAe Systems Naval Ships yard at Govan; Vosper Thornycroft at Portsmouth; and Swan Hunter on Tyneside. The involvement of other United Kingdom shipyards has not, however, been ruled out. No final decisions on the allocation of work--including the construction of blocks and final assembly site--will be made until the Demonstration and Manufacture contract is let in Spring 2004. We envisage no involvement for Rosyth dockyard in either the construction or the equipping of the Type 45 Destroyer.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

410 c956-7W;410 c955W; 130664;130665

Session

2002-03

Subjects

Construction Procurement Shipbuilding Aircraft carriers Rosyth Dockyard Destroyers Type 45 destroyers

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk