9 Jun 2008 : Column 66W*
*HMS Superb*
*Mr. Hancock:* To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for HMS Superb to dock and have her damage assessed before returning to the UK; and if he will make a statement. [208735]
*Mr. Bob Ainsworth:* An initial assessment of the damage has been made while HMS Superb has been alongside in Aqaba, Jordan. HMS SuperB has been judged to be safe to sail but will be undertaking further assessment alongside in Crete before completing her transit to the UK.
*Nuclear Submarines*
*Mr. Hancock:* To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what /(a)/ X berths and /(b)/ Z berths are available for use by the Royal Navy’s nuclear submarines between the Red Sea and the UK. [208734]
* 9 Jun 2008 : Column 67W*
*Mr. Bob Ainsworth:* There are no X or Z berths between the Red Sea and the UK as these types of berth are only located within the two submarine base ports of HMNB Devonport and HMNB Clyde.
*Special Nuclear Vehicles*
*Mr. Hancock:* To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times special nuclear vehicles were used on the road between April 2007 and March 2008; and how many special escort group operations there were in the same period. [209339]
*Mr. Bob Ainsworth:* I am withholding the information requested, as its release would, or would be likely to, prejudice national security.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
List of X and Z births:
- House of Commons, Written Questions
- 14 Nov 2000 : Column: 575W
- Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the number and locations of (a) X berths and (b) Z berths available to his Department. [137691]
- Mr. Spellar: Including all berths and docks, the total number of X and Z berths available is, respectively, 40 and 26. These are principally located in the Naval Bases of Devonport and Clyde, and the privatised facilities at Barrow in Furness, Rosyth and Devonport. The precise locations and numbers are as follows:
- List of the locations of X berths [with repair facilities. ed.]
- Number
- Faslane 8
- Devonport and Plymouth Sound 16
- Rosyth 11
- List of the locations of Z berths
- Number
- Falkland Islands 1
- Loch Goil 1
- Rothesay 1
- Liverpool (1)2
- Isle of Skye 1
- Loch Ewe 2
- Bermuda 3
- Devonport and Plymouth Sound 2
- Diego Garcia 2
- Portsmouth 1
- Spithead 4
- Southampton 1
- Gibraltar 2
- Coulport 1
- (1) The use of the berths in Liverpool is currently in abeyance awaiting final resolution of the mechanism for the implementation of the potassium iodate tablets countermeasure distribution plan.
- [as specified in naval safety plans. ed]