Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to HMS Dragon's deployment to the eastern Mediterranean and the planned retirement of Type 23 frigates before the Type 26 and Type 31 replacements enter service, what steps he has taken to mitigate the Royal Navy’s capability gap in escort vessels.

Type 26 frigates are expected to begin entering service from 2028, and all Type 31s are expected to be in service by the early 2030s. This is part of a carefully managed modernisation programme, which will see these new highly capable Frigates enter service, and the Type 23s retire from the Royal Navy following decades of dedicated service. In addition, there will be significant long-term investment in the six Type 45s, to enhance and sustain these world beating Air Defence platforms into the late 2030s.