Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Guy Opperman and Peter Luff

Monday 11th June 2012 Commons Chamber

[Guy Opperman (Hexham) (Con)]

3. What plans he has for maintaining aircraft carrier cover in co-operation with key allies.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (Peter Luff)]

The strategic defence and security review confirmed the Government’s intention to re-introduce a carrier strike capability from around 2020. This capability will be delivered by the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier, operating the STOVL— short take-off and vertical landing—variant of the joint strike fighter. Until then, the Government have accepted that expeditionary air power will need to be deployed by other means, which may include agreements with allies regarding overflight and basing rights. In addition, the Government are considering the scope for us to co-ordinate carrier strike operations with those NATO allies that currently operate aircraft carriers, including the United States, France and Italy, both prior to and following the re-introduction of the United Kingdom’s own capability.

[Guy Opperman]

Our future aircraft carriers are being built by our Scottish allies. What happens to the construction of those carriers if Scotland declares independence and does not contribute to the cost?

[Peter Luff]

As a good Unionist, I must emphasise that the carriers are being built by the United Kingdom, and that many English yards, as well as Scottish yards, are making a fine contribution to these outstanding ships. The best thing that I can say to my hon. Friend is that it is two thirds of a century since the United Kingdom built a warship outside the UK—that happened during the second world war—so the facts speak for themselves.