Lord West of Spithead
To ask His Majesty’s Government whether the Royal Navy ship stationed in the Caribbean is fully a part of Joint Interagency Task Force South.
Lord in Waiting/Government Whip (Lord Lemos) (Lab)
My Lords, the Royal Navy’s persistent presence in the Caribbean is not part of the Joint Interagency Task Force South. The ship primarily provides support to the British Overseas Territories, including during Caribbean hurricane season, including in response to Hurricane Beryl and Hurricane Melissa that caused so much damage. The ship also conducts regional engagement and supports counter-illicit trafficking operations, which are co-ordinated through the US-led JITFS.
Lord West of Spithead (Lab)
My Lords, I thank my noble friend the Minister for his reply, but the ship based out there does an awful lot of anti-drug work, and that is important for the stability of our overseas territories. It is also an indicator of how much we do for the Americans. The ship is fully linked in to the intelligence picture that is provided by our people and the Americans of what is going on. Can I ask my noble friend the Minister whether the US has stopped taking kinetic action against suspected drug-smuggling boats—historically, most used to come from Colombia and not Venezuela? If he cannot answer that, maybe he could write. Also, what instructions have we given to our ships there when they have been made aware that kinetic action was about to be taken against a suspected drug smuggler?
Lord Lemos (Lab)
The noble Lord is right that our persistent presence in the Caribbean in the Atlantic patrol task force is very important and does a lot of work in supporting the overseas territories and combating the illicit drugs trade. HMS “Trent” has seized £223.4 million-worth of cocaine since 2024, making this country much safer. On American plans, the American Government will speak for themselves. As for UK involvement in those operations, as I have said, we partner in JIATF activities. We have one officer based with it for liaison purposes, but we take responsibility for our own actions.
Lord Howell of Guildford (Con)
My Lords, further to the Question from the noble Lord, Lord West, I am not fully familiar with the full remit of the Joint Interagency Task Force South, but is it working the Commonwealth maritime co-operation agencies in the Caribbean, whose arrangements are proving increasingly interesting and useful in tracking ghost ships, illegal Russian oil ships, illegal Chinese movements and other unflagged maritime traffic? This is something we want to develop and encourage, and I hope that we are.
Lord Lemos (Lab)
The noble Lord is correct. The UK has a strong and historical defence relationship with the Caribbean Commonwealth, and this is underpinned by an annual UK-Caribbean chiefs of defence conference led by the UK chief of defence. Continued UK support was demonstrated last year in Jamaica in response to Hurricane Melissa. We entirely support the need for Commonwealth co-operation. I can certainly say more about the shadow fleets and unflagged vessels, if other noble Lords want to ask me.
Baroness Stuart of Edgbaston (CB)
My Lords, the United Kingdom has historically played a significant part in intelligence gathering in the Caribbean. Some difficulties were reported towards the end of last year. Is the Minister able to give some reassurance to the House that these problems have been overcome?
Lord Lemos (Lab)
I thank the noble Baroness for the question. I am not familiar with the particular problems she referred to, but I am happy to find out more and come back to her.
Lord Addington (LD)
My Lords, can we get some assurance from the Government that any naval ship based out there is doing a worthwhile job and will not get pulled into activities that we might question at home? That is the key thing here. If we are doing things such as supporting people in times of natural disaster, there are limitations on that, and we will not find ourselves enforcing another nation’s whim actions.
Lord Lemos (Lab)
I am very happy to reassure the noble Lord and the entire House on that point. There has been no UK involvement in operations outside our own policy remit, and specific operational activities undertaken by the US military—which I assume is what the noble Lord was referring to—in the Caribbean and the Pacific are a matter for the US. The legality of US actions is a matter for the US. The UK upholds international law, and I reassure the noble Lord that UK exchange officers are segregated from US personnel during specific US operations.
Viscount Trenchard (Con)
My Lords, it has been announced that there will no longer be any Royal Navy ship permanently stationed in the Middle East. This is as troubling as it is incomprehensible. To reassure our allies and preserve the reputation of the Royal Navy, can the Minister undertake to ask this noble friend the Minister of State for Defence to get that decision reversed with immediate effect?
Lord Lemos (Lab)
The Royal Navy has supported partners in the Middle East with operations that have included a significant seizure of more than £30 million-worth of drugs in 2025 alone. I understand the question that the noble Viscount is asking and am happy to take that message back to the Ministry of Defence. However, I should make it absolutely clear for the record that the Ministry of Defence keeps its forces posture in the Middle East under constant review to safeguard UK interests, as I am sure the noble Viscount would expect, and the Royal Navy remains committed to regional stability through its enduring presence.
Baroness Fookes (Con)
My Lords, does the naval ship that is out there still carry a contingent of US Coastguard forces, as it did when I was on a similar ship many years ago as a member of the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme when it did work in tandem in intercepting drugs?
Lord Lemos (Lab)
I do not know the exact answer regarding presence, and I am very happy to find out more and come back to the noble Baroness, but what I do know is that we work closely with the JIATF. We maintain close co-operation through a UK liaison officer embedded with the US Joint Interagency Task Force in Florida, ensuring effective co-ordination with allies in counternarcotics activity. I cannot overstress the importance of this activity and the joint work that we do. It has direct relevance and benefits for the streets of all our towns and cities.
Lord Stirrup (CB)
On a slightly wider point, the Joint Interagency Task Force South is acknowledged in America as the gold standard of interagency co-operation—something that is not necessarily all that common there. Have the Government conducted any analysis of whether there are any lessons to be drawn for the United Kingdom in cross-government working in the context of international security? If they have not done so, will they undertake to do so?
Lord Lemos (Lab)
I thank the noble and gallant Lord for that question. As he knows, we have published the national security strategy, which goes much wider than national security strategies have in the past. On his specific question, I am very happy to find out whether that analysis has been undertaken and come back to him, but he knows of our wider commitment to national security and increasing defence capacity.
Baroness Goldie (Con)
My Lords, further to the question from my noble friend Lord Trenchard, there is concern about the overall health of the Royal Navy, as frequently alluded to by the noble Lord, Lord West. There are reports that BAE may give away our UK building slots for the Type 26 frigate to Norway, which will leave us dependent on seven elderly Type 23 frigates. Can the Minister confirm that the UK Type 26 build will continue as originally scheduled to avoid unacceptable weakening of our naval capability?
Lord Lemos (Lab)
I will come to the point about Type 26, but let me first answer the wider question that the noble Baroness asks me about the capacity of the Royal Navy. The most recently published data shows that the Royal Navy’s readiness performance in 2025 reflects strong operational output in key categories and predictable reductions linked to planned maintenance cycles and unplanned defects. A great deal of work has been done to ensure that the efficient management of the defence forces in the Royal Navy ensures that coverage. As the noble Baroness knows, the Government are doing a lot to address the capacity of the Royal Navy overall, including the Type 26 frigates—I have answered a question on this before in your Lordships’ House. It is crucial that we work closely with Norway on the procurement of those Type 26 frigates. The sequencing of that will be part of how we go about ensuring security in the High North.