Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have placed Babcock International under increased scrutiny following concerns about the current refit of HMS Vanguard; and whether such scrutiny puts at risk the maintenance of Continuous At Sea Deterrence.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is committed to working closely with Babcock to safely deliver submarine support work, including planned maintenance projects. The MOD has an existing team in Devonport in support of submarine maintenance delivery; this is part of a long-standing arrangement, which now includes increased performance monitoring. It is the policy of Her Majesty's Government that we do not comment on submarine operations. Having four nuclear-armed submarines ensures at least one is on patrol at all times, taking account of the cycle of deployment, training and maintenance.