Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the retirement of HMS Northumberland on the capability of the armed forces prior to delivery of the first Type 26.

Current and planned force levels are continually assessed to ensure that they are optimised to deliver the tasks His Majesty's Government asks of it, now and in the future.

The Royal Navy is carefully managing a Surface Fleet Transition Plan to ensure our highest priority outputs are maintained through the 2020s and into the next decade, as we replace ageing Type 23s with eight of the world’s most advanced anti-submarine warfare ships, the Type 26 frigates. They will be bolstered by five general purpose Type 31 frigates, providing opportunity to project power, support NATO operations and influence globally.