To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost per ship is of a (a) Type 26 frigate, (b) Type 31e frigate and (c) batch 2 River Class offshore patrol vessel.

For the cost per ship of the Type 26 Frigate, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 25 July 2017 to Question 5703 to the member for Bridgend (Madeleine Moon).

The Type 31e Frigate programme is currently in its pre-procurement phase. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has issued a Request for Information to industry, inviting high level proposals against the outline requirements, cost and schedule, namely, an initial order of five ships at a maximum average price of £250 million. In common with all procurement projects, the programme cost will be determined at the main investment decision point.

The MOD has signed contracts worth a total of £635 million to build five Batch 2 Offshore Patrol Vessels. In addition to the cost of the ships, these contracts cover the cost of initial spares and support as well as being an investment in sustaining shipbuilding skills and setting the entry conditions for a successful Type 26 build programme.