To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the timetable is for the financial decisions detailed in figure 11, page 36 of the National Audit Office report, Delivering Carrier Strike, published on 16 March 2017, for (a) additional equipment and training to allow US F-35B jets to fly from UK carriers and vice versa, (b) sufficient weapons stockpiles for CEPP platforms, (c) tactical datalinks for intra-task group operations and (d) further development of the F-35B Lightning II computer system.

Decisions on funding for all aspects of the Carrier Enabled Power Projection programme will be taken at the appropriate time within the Defence annual budget cycle.

We have plans to meet an initial operating capability and a full operating capability. It would not be prudent to comment on specifics for reasons of safeguarding national security and the commercial interests of the Ministry of Defence.

With a projected life of 50 years, we expect to develop our Carrier Strike capability incrementally over time.