Defence: Procurement Debate

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Department: Ministry of Defence

Defence: Procurement

Lord Davies of Stamford Excerpts
Tuesday 25th January 2011

(13 years, 11 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Lord Astor of Hever Portrait Lord Astor of Hever
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My Lords, in future, we will be able to land and sustain a Royal Marine commando group of 1,500 to 1,800 personnel from a sea helicopter platform with protective vehicles, but we have reluctantly decided that one of the Bay class ships, the RFA “Largs Bay”, will have to be decommissioned.

Lord Davies of Stamford Portrait Lord Davies of Stamford
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My Lords, the tragedy of all this is that we needed, and continue to need, the Harriers, the carriers and the Nimrods. Can the Minister assure the House that this country can continue to meet its maritime surveillance obligations and its international obligations for search and rescue at sea in the absence of the Nimrods?