Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Goldie on 1 February (HL4865), whether they have now established the cost of the repairs to HMS Prince of Wales; who is expected to pay those costs; and what is their current estimate of the date on which HMS Prince of Wales will return to active service.

We remain committed to ensuring HMS Prince of Wales (PWLS) commences her operational programme, as planned, in Autumn 2023. This will include operational flying training and trials.

During this period the focus has been on achieving repairs whilst maximising opportunities for capability upgrades to ensure PWLS is prepared to become the UK Very High Readiness Strike Carrier in 2024. These upgrades have been conducted in parallel to ensure efficiency and value for money.

The estimated cost of repairs are expected to be approximately £25 million, however responsibility for payment has not yet been established therefore it would be inappropriate to comment further.