To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contingency plans his Department has for the continued functioning of the (a) frigate fleet and (b) submarine flotilla in the event of a naval base being put out of action following the implementation of the decision to allocate each type of warship to a single naval base. (274336)

Analysis conducted during the Naval Base Review confirmed a degree of excess capacity at the three Naval Bases; Devonport, Faslane and Portsmouth. This excess capacity deliberately provides a level of resilience for the Royal Navy Fleet which still exists today.

Decisions taken under the Maritime Change Programme, including the ongoing optimisation work, which I announced to the House on 6 May 2009, Official Report, column 16WS do not impact upon that resilience. The Ministry of Defence is, therefore, confident that sufficient contingency exists across the three Naval Bases.