Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which Royal Naval vessels are (a) Fleet Ready vessels, (b) Atlantic Patrol Tasking North and South, (c) Gibraltar Squadron d) Operations East of Suez and (e) supporting EU and NATO counter-migration operations in the Mediterranean and Aegean Sea?

Mark Lancaster, Minister of State for the Armed Forces: There is always one Royal Navy ship that is designated as the Fleet Ready Escort (FRE), although there are always a number of Royal Navy units available in UK waters that could conduct this role depending on the tasking. As of 1 December 2017 the designated FRE ship was HMS WESTMINSTER.

The Atlantic Patrol Tasking North is being conducted by RFA MOUNTS BAY, with HMS CLYDE and HMS PROTECTOR operating in the South Atlantic area. The Gibraltar squadron consists of HMS SCIMITAR and HMS SABRE. HMS MIDDLETON, HMS LEDBURY, HMS BLYTH, HMS BANGOR, RFA CARDIGAN BAY and RFA FORT ROSALIE are on operations east of Suez. HMS ECHO is supporting EU counter-migration operations and HMS ENTERPRISE and HMS OCEAN are commanding NATO maritime groups in the Mediterranean.

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