To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) in-service dates and (b) current out-of-service dates are for each (i) submarine, (ii) frigate and (iii) destroyer in the Royal Navy. (258922)

It is departmental policy to release in-service dates only for those vessels for which the main investment decision has been taken. Our present planning assumptions, which are routinely updated as required, are as follows:

Submarines

The MOD currently plans to procure seven Astute submarines. Four submarines are on contract, and in various stages of production at BAE Systems Submarine Solutions facilities at Barrow-in-Furness. The planned in-service dates for HMS Astute, the First of Class, Ambush, Artful and Audacious are subject to continuing detailed review by MOD, BAE Systems and other key stakeholders.

Frigates

The Royal Navy’s current Type 22 and Type 23 frigates will be replaced by the Future Surface Combatant but the programme has not yet reached the main investment decision stage. However, on current plans, we expect the first vessel to enter service around the end of the next decade.

Destroyers

Our present planning assumptions for out-of-service dates are as follows:

Submarines

Vanguard class

It is not possible to give precise out of service dates for the four Vanguard class submarines. As indicated in the December 2006 White Paper on the future of the United Kingdom’s nuclear deterrent we believe that we can extend the original design life by around five years and that accordingly the first Vanguard class submarine would go out of service around 2022 and the second around 2024 and work is ongoing to determine the optimum out of service dates for the remaining two.

Frigates

Destroyers