To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the planned in-service dates of (a) HMS Queen Elizabeth and (b) HMS Prince of Wales are. (244566)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 17 December 2008, Official Report, column 766W, to the hon. Member for New Forest, East (Dr. Lewis).

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the effects on the project cost of later than originally planned in-service dates for HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales. (244572)

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate his Department has made of the effect on his Department's costs of the decision to put back the in-service date of HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales. (245216)

[holding answer 18 December 2008]: We have estimated the costs of a delay to in-service dates in close consultation with the Aircraft Carrier Alliance and other stakeholders. Further negotiations with industry will be necessary to reach a firm figure and I am therefore withholding this information as its release would, or would be likely to, prejudice commercial interests.