Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) ships and (b) submarines are currently (i) in-build and (ii) on order.

There are currently eight ships in build, with a further eight on order. These include the next-generation Type 31 General Purpose Frigates, Type 26 Anti-Submarine Frigates, and the Fleet Solid Support ships, to be crewed by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.

There are currently five submarines in build, and one on order. This includes the Dreadnought class, the replacement for the Royal Navy’s current Vanguard-class ballistic missile submarines, and Astute-Class attack submarines.

The above figures do not include programmes that are in development but not yet contracted for, such as SSN-AUKUS submarines, Multi Role Strike Ships and the Type 83 Air Defence Destroyer.

These ships and submarines, together with other capabilities, are a vital part of achieving the new hybrid navy as outlined recently in the Strategic Defence Review.