Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has plans to delay the incremental retirement of the Type 23 frigates; and whether he has made an assessment of the cost-effectiveness of a sustainment programme for those frigates.

On current plans the last Type 23 frigate will transition out of service in 2035.

The Type 23 frigate class is continually being updated and upgraded to meet new threats or to replace obsolete technology. This is achieved via a Through Life Management Plan. With regard to the cost of the programme, this draws together a number of capability enhancements; the information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.