Ministers are this weekend preparing to give the go-ahead to two new aircraft carriers for the Royal Navy, ending months of speculation that the flagship programme could be delayed for up to two years.

The Ministry of Defence is expected formally to commit next week, people close to the £4bn ($7.8bn) carrier programme confirmed. Executives at BAE Systems and VT Group, the two largest companies in the alliance that will build the carriers, will be told privately they can expect to receive a contract by the middle of next month. A public announcement of the contract will, however, not take place until that time.