Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what information his Department holds on the total cumulative loss sustained to date by Babcock on the fixed-price contract in relation to the delivery of the Type 31; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of that loss on the delivery schedule of the programme.

The Ministry of Defence does not comment on the detailed commercial or financial performance of its suppliers beyond information placed in the public domain by those companies. The Department continues to monitor Babcock’s financial position and delivery performance in relation to the Type 31 programme. We continue to work with closely with Babcock to support, monitor, and manage schedule risks and ensure delivery of the five Type 31 frigates.