House of Commons and House of Lords Hansard Written Answers
Q
Asked by Luke Pollard
(Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Asked on: 24 October 2017
Ministry of Defence
Navy
109310
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how he defines the term growing Royal Navy.
A
Answered by: Sir Michael Fallon
Answered on: 01 November 2017
The 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review committed to growing the Royal Navy for the first time in a generation. The future fleet will include the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers, the first of which is at sea conducting trials; the Type 45 destroyers; the Type 26 frigates, steel for the first of which was cut in July; Type 31e frigates; the next generation Dreadnought submarines; the Astute Class submarines, and five new Offshore Patrol Vessels. In addition, a shipbuilding programme is under way to deliver four Tide Class tankers, the first of which, Royal Fleet Auxiliary TIDESPRING, joins the operational fleet later this year, as well as three new Future Solid Support Ships. We will also increase Naval Service personnel numbers by 400 to 30,600 by 2025.
Q
Asked by Ruth Smeeth
(Stoke-on-Trent North)
Asked on: 25 October 2017
Ministry of Defence
Hawk Aircraft
109555
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reasons the decision to extend the out-of-service date for the Hawk T1 aircraft was made.
A
Answered by: Harriett Baldwin
Answered on: 01 November 2017
The Hawk T1 fleet has undergone various upgrade and life extension programmes since delivery. The out-of-service date has been calculated with regards to the usual fleet management processes in place on the large remaining fleet of Hawk T1.
Q
Asked by Douglas Chapman
(Dunfermline and West Fife)
Asked on: 25 October 2017
Ministry of Defence
Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft
109661
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what contingency or replacement policy his Department has in place if any F-35 variant is lost during operations.
A
Answered by: Harriett Baldwin
Answered on: 01 November 2017
We are buying sufficient numbers of F-35B aircraft to meet our requirements. A decision on whether or not to acquire replacement aircraft would be taken in the light of circumstances at the time.