Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish the names of the vessels on the UK Defence Shipping Register.

The Defence Shipping Register is a record of all vessels currently in service in the Ministry of Defence. Release of the list of vessels names would provide a complete picture of the size and capability of the service and allow individual vessel’s type, movements and locations to be traced using easily accessible public shipping trackers; I hope the hon. Member understands that it would therefore be inappropriate to release this information into the public domain.