Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what effect the lack of clarity on the replacement of the Type 23 frigates has had on recruitment to the Royal Navy.

In the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015 we committed to building eight Anti-Submarine Warfare variant Type 26 Global Combat Ships to replace the current eight Anti-Submarine Warfare variant Type 23 Frigates on a one-for-one basis. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence announced on 4 November that the steel cut for the first of the Type 26 Global Combat Ships will take place in mid-2017, subject to contract negotiations.

The Royal Navy remains focused on the target set in the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015 of 30,450 Royal Navy and Royal Marines personnel in April 2020.