Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Harriett Baldwin and Ian Mearns

Monday 30th January 2017 Commons Chamber

[Ian Mearns (Gateshead) (Lab)]

10. What recent assessment he has made of the (a) adequacy of the size of the Royal Navy’s fleet and (b) capability of that fleet to respond to global threats.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (Harriett Baldwin)]

The Royal Navy is growing for the first time in a generation, with new aircraft carriers, submarines, frigates, patrol vessels and aircraft all on their way; 2017 is the start of a new era of maritime power, projecting Britain’s influence globally and delivering security at home. [Interruption.]

[Ian Mearns]

Sorry, it is my back, Mr Speaker.

[Ian Mearns]

Thank you, Mr Speaker. The Select Committee on Defence recently said, in a fairly damning report, that the Royal Navy’s fleet of just 17 usable frigates and destroyers is

“way below the critical mass required”.

Does the Minister agree with the many former Sea Lords who gave evidence to the Committee that the number of vessels is just not sufficient, given that we are island nations, to protect our interests on the high seas?

[Harriett Baldwin]

My sympathies to the hon. Gentleman. I wish to emphasise that the 2015 SDSR announced that we will maintain our fleet of 19 frigates and destroyers, and committed to eight Type 26 global combat ships, three new solid support ships and two new offshore patrol vessels. That is in addition, of course, to the two new aircraft carriers, which, as he knows, are well on their way.