Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many warships have been a) taken out of operational service b) sold or c) scrapped in every year since 2010.

Since 2010, 33 Royal Navy warships have been taken out of operational service. Of these, 8 have been sold, 15 have been recycled and 10 are pending disposal.

As vessels may be withdrawn from service in one year and sold or scrapped in a later year, these categories are not mutually exclusive, and the figures should not be aggregated.

As set out in the Defence Investment Plan, this Government is investing in new frigates, amphibious ships, new submarines and new standardised vessels alongside a new Hybrid Navy of uncrewed and autonomous systems to increase our Navy’s lethality and deterrence.