Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assets his Department has assigned to (a) Standing NATO Maritime Group 1, (b) Standing NATO Maritime Group 2, (c) Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1 and (d) Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 2 since November 2015; and for how long each such asset was assigned.

Since November 2015, the UK has assigned the following Naval assets to the Standing NATO Groups.

Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1):

The Type 23 Frigates HMS IRON DUKE (from January to July 2016) and HMS MONMOUTH (February 2016); and the Type 45 Destroyer HMS DUNCAN (October to December 2016).

There was no assignment to SNMG1 in 2017.

Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2):

The Type 45 Destroyers HMS DUNCAN (from June to September 2017, and January to June 2018) and HMS DIAMOND (from September to October 2017); the Landing Platform Helicopter HMS OCEAN (from October to December 2017).

From June 2017 until June 2018, the UK held the Command of the SNMG2 formation; these ships therefore acted as the Flagship for the NATO force.

Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1:

The Sandown-Class Minehunters HMS GRIMSBY (from November to December 2015, and August to December 2016); HMS RAMSEY (from January to April 2016, January to April 2017, and May to August 2018); HMS PEMBROKE (from April to June 2016); HMS SHOREHAM (from April until June 2017); and the Hunt-Class Minehunter HMS CATTISTOCK (from January until April 2018).

Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 2 (SNMCMG2):

The Sandown-Class Minehunter HMS PEMBROKE (from October to November 2017). From July 2017 until July 2018 the UK held the Command of the SNMCMG2 formation from the Survey Vessel Hydrographic and Oceanographic HMS ENTERPRISE.