Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of replacing HMS Diamond with HMS Richmond in the Red Sea on the Royal Fleet Auxiliary’s capacity.

HMS Richmond has now taken on the role of safeguarding shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden alongside other Royal Navy, UK & NATO Partners, as part of the UK's enduring commitment to ensuring Freedom of Navigation and maintaining security of global shipping lanes.

The Royal Navy and Royal Feet Auxiliary continue to meet all of their operational commitments at home and abroad, and we will continue to ensure we have the workforce, support arrangements and facilities required to maintain availability in the future.