To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his Department's policy is on the deployment of (a) Royal Navy and (b) Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships without a full crew.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) Royal Navy and (b) Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships have been deployed without a full crew since 2010.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the minimum number of crew with which each (a) Royal Navy and (b) Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship can be deployed.

The Royal Navy (RN) follow a strict criteria to ensure that all RN ships deploy with suitable and sufficient personnel to operate them safely and effectively. Crew numbers of ships vary depending on whether a ship is deployed, the type of deployment or whether it is preparing to go into refit or in refit. It is not possible therefore to provide specific minimum crewing figures or how many ships have deployed without a full crew as numbers fluctuate depending on circumstances. The safety, security and fighting effectiveness of both our ships and their crews are the priority and are kept under review to adapt to changing situations.