The Royal Navy's requirement is for a fleet of 25 destroyers and frigates. This was set out in the White Paper "Delivering Security in a Changing World—Future Capabilities” presented to the House in July 2004.
I note that four years ago the then Defence Secretary said that the MOD needed 12 Type 45 destroyers. In August 2004, the figure was reduced to eight. If The Times today is to be believed, boats seven and eight will not be built. Why does the Minister think that the Navy’s requirement is half that of four years ago?
The capability has not changed from that laid out in the White Paper, as I have said. The hon. Gentleman is taking a simplistic view if he assesses the strength of the Royal Navy by only counting hulls. He should listen to Commander David Shutts, who is the senior naval officer overseeing the Daring trial, which is the first of the Type 45 destroyers:
“This ship is five levels of sophistication ahead of what we had before. Her weapon system is the most advanced in the world, but we also have a hospital on board, a Chinook-sized flight deck and room for 70 extra beds. We will get more capability with this ship than we have seen since World War II.”
I hear what my hon. Friend has said, but he must agree that although the Daring is a class above any other destroyer that has been built on the Clyde, a lot of workers on the Clyde are looking for jobs. It appears that those jobs are linked to the decision whether there will be two carriers or one carrier. Will he make that decision now and let us know what is going on?
I cannot make that decision now, and my hon. Friend must wait a little while for a decision on whether the carriers will be provided. We are in the middle of a substantial shipbuilding programme, and a number of projects are either delivering ships or preparing for production. Over the next 10 years, £14 billion is likely to be allocated to those shipbuilding programmes.
I welcome the Minister to his new responsibilities. I must also say a word of appreciation about his predecessor, the right hon. Member for East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow (Mr. Ingram), who discharged his responsibilities for a long time with great assiduity and reliability.
The Minister’s answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Wimbledon (Stephen Hammond) did not begin to address the problem of the number of frigates and destroyers. The Type 45 destroyers were always intended to have the extra capabilities that he described. If we needed eight destroyers in 2004, as the supplement to the White Paper stated, then we need eight now, let alone the 12 that were originally planned. The 2004 White Paper stated that 25 frigates and destroyers are required. Will he guarantee that that figure will not be further reduced?
Order. The hon. Gentleman has made his point.
I thank the hon. Gentleman for his comments about my predecessor, who did this job for six years with, as the hon. Gentleman has said, great distinction. It is difficult to follow my predecessor, given the way in which he did the job.
The White Paper laid out the need for eight destroyers. A decision has not been taken yet, because we are still negotiating the detail of the provision for ships four, five and six. It would be wholly wrong to sign off further ships while those negotiations continue. The hon. Gentleman knows that, and I think that he understands the point.