Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Written Statement entitled Shipbuilding Update, published on 18 January 2023, HCWS502, what estimate he has made of the proportion of the build work that will take place in Cadiz.

The three Fleet Solid Support ships will be assembled from 21 blocks. Fourteen of the blocks, comprising the mid and forward sections of all three ships, will be built by Harland & Wolff in the UK. Seven aft blocks of the Fleet Solid Support (FSS) ships will be built by Navantia in Cadiz. Following arrival of the aft blocks from Spain, the final outfitting, integration of blocks and modules and fitting of sensitive systems, as well as all testing and commissioning will take place in the UK.

The involvement of a world-class shipbuilder allows for technology and skills transfer into the UK, and UK capability and employment to sustainably step up to deliver the contract.