Competition should reduce cost of warships

SIR – Jonathan Clark (Letters, November 29) asks why it is necessary to pay £6.5 billion for two new aircraft carriers and £6 billion for six Type 45 destroyers.

Harriett Baldwin, the defence procurement minister, disclosed in a letter to my MP that expenditure on the carriers had reached £5.85 billion at the end of September this year. Clearly this bill will rise – perhaps to Mr Clark’s figure of £6.5 billion – as further spending on the second carrier will need to be made.

Mrs Baldwin also disclosed that the unit production cost of a Type 45 destroyer was £633 million, indicating that the class has cost the taxpayer roughly £3.8 billion – substantially less than Mr Clark’s figure.

Although warships are very expensive, the end of BAE’S monopoly, as advocated in the review by Sir John Parker, will ensure competition between shipyards and reduce costs. Hopefully this will result in the bigger Navy that the Government is planning. Chris Cope

Kings Nympton, Devon

SIR – I recently attended the annual reunion dinner of Airborne Gunners at Larkhill. It was encouraging to meet the young and current members of 7th Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery, who demonstrated its ethos wonderfully.

However, the regiment today is a far cry from what it was. There are only two gun batteries, and few members have the opportunity to parachute. The CO of the regiment has a most challenging task: not to fight an enemy, but to motivate and retain the people he has under command.

Philip Hammond, who presided over drastic cuts as defence secretary, has much to answer for. Andrew Norton

Hinton Park, Somerset