Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, at what date his Department estimates that the UK will be capable of operating two aircraft carriers simultaneously with two squadrons of F-35s.

It has been longstanding policy that by bringing two aircraft carriers into service we will ensure that there will always be at least one carrier available 100 per cent of the time, either at sea or in port at very high readiness to deploy.

The CEPP programme remains on track to deliver the second operational squadron of F-35 by December 2023. This will provide two squadrons available to embark on one or both carriers as directed by operational tasking.