Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the 17 surface naval ships to protect the new aircraft carriers.

In the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review, we committed to maintaining the Royal Navy's frigate and destroyer fleet of 19 warships, and confirmed the build of eight Type 26 frigates and the design and build of the Type 31e General Purpose Frigate. This will mean that by the 2030s we can increase the total number of frigates and destroyers.

The Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers will operate as part of a maritime task group that will be configured to meet the required task. The precise number and mix of vessels deployed will depend on the operational circumstances at the time. We will be able to draw from a range of modern and highly capable vessels to support the carriers, such as the Type 45 destroyers, Type 23 frigates, Astute Class submarines and, in the longer term, the Type 26 frigates.