Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government when a new solid support ship will be ordered; and whether the ships will be built in the UK from steel manufactured in the UK.

On current plans it is anticipated that the Fleet Solid Support ships will be procured through an international competition and that the Ministry of Defence will be in a position to award a contract by 2020. UK companies will have the opportunity to compete for the contract.

Sensitive elements of the ships are expected to be procured through separate competitions that will be limited to UK only suppliers. It is too early to say from where the steel to be used in the construction of these ships will be sourced.