Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of raising the anchors of HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse for posterity before they are removed from the seabed by metal scavengers.

The Ministry of Defence considers the wrecks of our warships to be the final resting place of our servicemen.

While we have assessed that recovery of the anchors from HMS PRINCE OF WALES and HMS REPULSE could be possible, this would require significant planning and considerable resource, both in retrieval and in conserving them for display. Recovery would also be counter to our stance of not disturbing our wrecks, in honour of those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

The Ship's Bells from both ships were visible alongside the respective wrecks and were recovered. They are now held as lasting memorials, and for the benefit of the nation, by the National Museum of the Royal Navy.