Oral Answers to Questions

Kelvin Hopkins Excerpts

Monday 26th November 2018 Commons Chamber

[Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North) (Ind)]

14. What recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the size of the Royal Navy surface fleet.

[Mr Speaker]

I suggest the hon. Member for Gloucester (Richard Graham) seeks to piggy-back on this question, as that will aid the efficiency of our proceedings.

[The Minister for the Armed Forces (Mark Lancaster)]

In the 2015 strategic defence and security review and the national shipbuilding strategy, the Government committed to maintaining a surface fleet of 19 frigates and destroyers. HMS Queen Elizabeth, a powerful expression of national ambition and intent, is now in service and will be joined by new submarines, frigates and patrol vessels.

[Kelvin Hopkins]

Are we not desperately short of coastal defence vessels at a time when our borders and restored fishing grounds will need to be policed properly for the long term? If we ordered new such ships from British shipbuilders, we would secure thousands of jobs for the domestic economy and restore the strength of our vital coastal defences.

[Mark Lancaster]

The hon. Gentleman obviously missed the Secretary of State’s announcement this week that we will be keeping the three batch 1 offshore patrol vessels.