Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will take steps to affiliate one of the Royal Navy's AUKUS submarines to Poole.

I welcome the constituency interest and thank his constituents for their continued support of HMS Cattistock, the ship currently affiliated to Poole. The proposal will be considered through the Royal Navy’s regular affiliation planning process. The Royal Navy seeks, over time, to affiliate ships with communities across the country, with affiliations made at borough, town, city or county level.