Lord West of Spithead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2016-04-12.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have made an assessment of the number of UK merchant seamen, officers and men required to man the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and other merchant shipping taken up from trade in time of national emergency or war.

Earl Howe

Should extra capability or capacity be required at a time of national emergency or war, as has been the case in the past, the Ministry of Defence would charter suitable merchant ships from the commercial market. The extent of such a requirement would of course depend on the nature of the circumstances faced.