Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 9, paragraph 13 of the National Shipbuilding Strategy, how the figure of £63 billion of Government spending on procurement and support for surface ships and submarines was calculated.

As outlined in the Defence Equipment Plan Report 2016 we intend to spend around £19 billion on building ships and submarines and £44 billion on supporting ships and submarines over the next 10 years, totalling £63 billion. As outlined in the report, for ships this includes the completion of the new Queen Elizabeth Aircraft Carriers, the construction of the Type 26 frigate, four new Tide Class tankers, new Offshore Patrol Vessels and the implementation of a Common Support Model. For submarines it includes support to those in service, delivery of the Astute and Dreadnought submarine programmes and the Nuclear Warhead Capability Sustainment Programme, plus procurement of new nuclear propulsion plants.