To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for how many days the eight active Type 42 destroyers were (a) at sea and (b) alongside in harbour in (i) the last 12 months and (ii) 2006. (141001)

The information is not held centrally in the format requested. Taking the eight ships as a whole, the approximate percentage of time spent at sea for Type 42 destroyers over the last 12 months and for 2006 is 30 per cent. at sea and 70 per cent. in harbour.

Time spent in harbour includes both time spent alongside in the ship’s home port and time spent alongside while deployed elsewhere.

The percentage figures allow for time spent in refit or maintenance periods.