asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether, having regard to the progress made by Swan Hunter in constructing the through-deck cruiser HMS"Illustrious"resulting in her launch on 1st December 1978, and to the serious lack of new work in the Tyne yards at a time of record unemployment, he will now announce the ordering from Swans of a further through-deck cruiser.

The order for the construction of the third anti-submarine cruiser has today been placed with Swan Hunter Shipbuilders on Tyneside. The ship will be called HMS"Ark Royal ".