Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the decision making process was for choosing names for the new city class Type 26 frigates and when he expects further names to be released.

The name of a new ship or a class of ship are proposed by the Royal Navy's Ships' Names and Badges Committee. The Committee presents their recommendations to the Navy Board, and the name(s) chosen by the Board are forwarded to the Secretary of State for Defence before being submitted to Her Majesty the Queen for approval.

The Ministry of Defence has received a large number of representations from individuals and groups proposing the name HMS EXETER for one of the Royal Navy's eight Type 26 Frigates. So far, two ships have been named HMS GLASGOW and HMS BELFAST. The remaining names will be announced at appropriate opportunities in the future.