Tories won’t back Brit steel for ship contract
TORY ministers are refusing to guarantee Royal Navy support vessels will be built with British steel.
A £1billion contract for three ships to service the £6.3billion Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers goes out to tender today.
And a temporary tariff exemption for EU steel exports to the US is set to run out tomorrow, adding to the pressure on manufacturers.
Defence Minister Guto Bebb said of the ships: “European and UK procurement regulations do not allow the Ministry of Defence to mandate the use of specific suppliers as part of the contract.”
The Tories could insist on using British steel if they classify the vessels as warships, but say they do not qualify as they are part of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, not Navy.
But MP Christ Stephens said because they have weapons, they count as warships. Shadow Steel Minister Gill Furniss said: “British steelworkers make some of the best products in the world, but [yet] again they are being overlooked for key national projects.”
Roy Rickhuss, general secretary of the Community steelworkers’ union, blasted the Tories: “The Government cannot hide behind procurement rules – they need to stand up for steelworkers.”