Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the National Shipbuilding Strategy, what the timeframe is for the competition to build the Type 31e frigate.

Pre-procurement activity with industry has begun and will continue into early 2018 when we plan to formally start the competitive process. We plan to award a single design and build contract in 2019, allowing us to trial and accept the first ship into service in 2023.