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HMS “Caroline”

Volume 715: debated on Wednesday 9 December 2009

Question

Asked by

To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Taylor of Bolton on 26 November (WA 4) stating that HMS “Caroline” will remain in commission until the spring, how that answer relates to the proposed decommissioning to take place in December in Belfast. [HL452]

My noble friend the Minister for Strategic Defence Acquisition Reform, Lord Drayson, informed the noble Lord on 12 November (Official Report, col. WA 216) that the trustees of the national museum of the Royal Navy have agreed to broker a heritage solution to the ship's future. This process will take some time, but we would hope to be in a position to announce the plans for the ship in the spring. In the mean time, the ship will remain in the commission of the Royal Navy.

On 1 December the Royal Navy Reserve unit, which used the ship as its base, was decommissioned. The unit has now moved to Thiepval Barracks as HMS “Hibernian”.