To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those River class minesweepers currently in service, together with their current squadron allocation and tasks.

The following River class minesweepers are in service:

• HMS Blackwater, HMS Arun, HMS Carron,
• HMS Dovey, HMS Helford, HMS Humber, HMS Orwell,
• HMS Spey, HMS Waveney, HMS Itchen.

HMS Blackwater is employed on fishery protection duties with the fishery protection squadron, HMS Itchen is in refit and the remainder are allocated to the 10th mine counter-measures squadron and are used for sea training by the Royal Naval Reserve.