Lyme Bay 'being readied to be deployed should it be needed'

The Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship Lyme Bay is "being readied to be deployed should it be needed".

This is according to Minister of State for the Ministry of Defence, Lord Coaker, who answered questions on the Middle East in the House of Lords.

This week, supplies have been loaded onto the ship, which has been berthed at the Naval Base since November when it arrived for routine maintenance.

Lyme Bay is not a warship - it is used for transporting troops, ammunition and vehicles, although it can be used to transport civilians or aid.  

However, the Royal Navy destroyer HMS Dragon has been deployed to the eastern Mediterranean, where it will help defend the British base in Cyprus.

In the House of Lords, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Defence, Baroness Smith of Newnham, asked whether HMS Dragon and RFA Lyme Bay were the only naval vessels the UK was able to send.

Lord Coaker said "There are always challenges and difficulties in these situations, and deployments are sometimes not easy".

He added the MoD was working as fast as it could to deliver the things it was being asked for.