Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of cancelling the Iron Duke conversion programme.

The Ministry of Defence keeps all capability programmes under regular review to ensure they remain affordable, deliver value for money, and align with operational priorities.

The decision to cancel the Iron Duke conversion programme was based on a comprehensive assessment. Given the platform's remaining Service life, the time required to complete the conversion, and competing operational priorities, the benefits of proceeding did not justify the additional cost or extended period out of service. Resources were therefore re-prioritised to deliver greater operational effect.