Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with Aircraft Carrier Alliance prime contractors on procurement of new RFA Fleet Solid Support ships.

We plan to procure the three Fleet Solid Support ships, announced in the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015, through international competition.

Initial engagement with potential suppliers was at an Industry Day in July 2016. Industry attendees included member companies of the Aircraft Carrier Alliance (ACA) acting in an independent capacity and not as representatives of the ACA. There have been no bilateral discussions with any potential suppliers.