Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to be able to deploy a fully manned Carrier Strike Group to the Far East.

Mark Lancaster, Minister of State for the Armed Forces: HMS Queen Elizabeth's first operational deployment will be in 2021.

As announced by the Secretary of State, the deployment will include the Pacific region although exact locations and dates for this deployment are yet to be confirmed.

The precise number and mix of vessels, and therefore the number of personnel, would depend on the operational circumstances at the time.

The Carrier Strike capability will continue to be developed with a planned transition to a full operating capability by the end of 2023.

Hansard

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