Lord West of Spithead

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, when ordering steel required for the manufacture of UK submarines, they have released to overseas steel manufacturers (1) the steel recipe, or (2) the method of manufacture.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the question asked by Lord West of Spithead in the debate on the future capability of the armed forces on 12 January (HL Deb, col 2128), whether there has been any consideration of reviewing the decision made by...

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the cost of the steel required to manufacture the Astute class submarines which are due to be commissioned between 2018 and 2024; and how that compares to the projected cost prior to the EU referendum.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many F-35B Sea Lightnings the UK currently owns; and whether there has been any change to (1) the number to be purchased in the financial year 2017–18, or (2) the planned date for forming the operational conversion unit...

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they have taken to assess whether an 8th Astute class submarine could be built prior to the first successor submarine being named.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they consider that the T45 destroyers are fully operational and could be deployed with system certainty in war.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the planned date for the naming ceremony for the 7th Astute-class submarine.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government by what date the intercooler and generator problems on all T45 destroyers will have been resolved.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what level of human control they consider necessary for compliance with international law in the context of lethal autonomous weapons; and how they will work with other states to define that level of control at the forthcom...

To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the decision on a long-term plan for the UK’s plutonium stockpile will be made.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many offshore patrol vessels are planned to be available to the UK Border Force for fishery protection and assistance.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the National Shipbuilding Strategy report by Sir John Parker will be published; and when the new shipbuilding strategy will be announced.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government when a new solid support ship will be ordered; and whether the ships will be built in the UK from steel manufactured in the UK.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government when it is planned that RFA Argus will be paid off; and whether they intend to build a replacement.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 7 November (HL2668), whether the complete orders for boats 6 and 7 of the Astute-class submarines have been agreed and signed; and whether the orders have been placed on a cost...

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether orders have been placed for boats 6 and 7 of the Astute-class submarines, and, if so, when are the expected launch dates.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the planned service life of the Offshore Patrol Vessels Tyne, Severn and Mersey when they were purchased for the Royal Navy in September 2012.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 12 September (HL1533), whether work has commenced on the third Offshore Patrol Vessel contracted for in August 2014; and if not, why not.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government when RFA Tidespring will reach the UK and become fully operational; and what are the planned operational dates for the delivery of her three sister ships.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the Delivery Authority for the replacement of the Vanguard-class submarines will be established.