Skip to main content

Oral question asked in the House of Commons, by Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party). It was answered on Monday, 30 January 2017 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.


NATO Spending Target

Question

The National Audit Office report cast further doubt on the Type 26 programme:

“Major changes to the requirement for the Type 26 Global Combat Ship mean that costings for this…will be unclear until 2018.”

With an ageing fleet in desperate need of renewal, a looming budgetary crisis and the uncertainty caused by Brexit, cuts to numbers, and delays, how does the Secretary of State intend to make good on the promise to maintain 19 destroyers and frigates in the Royal Navy? For how much longer does he believe that the Royal Navy can respond to global threats with its current fleet?

Answer

We set out our commitment to the size of the fleet in the strategic defence review. I am surprised that the hon. Gentleman is so concerned about the budget for the Type 26 frigate, which is designed to protect the deterrent that he does not want to keep; that seems an odd project to be worried about. The terms of that contract have yet to be finalised, but I can assure him that the expansion of the Royal Navy is fully funded.


Secondary information

Type
Oral question
Reference
620 c646 
Session
2016-17
Oral question type
Supplementary
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
Subjects
Defence Expenditure NATO
Link
View this Oral question on hansard.parliament.uk