SOLD DOWN THE RIVER
UK shipbuilding plans a ‘betrayal’ of Clyde workers
GLASGOW shipyard workers are being betrayed, according to a city MP.
Fears for the future have been raised after plans for a new national shipbuilding strategy were unveiled by Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon.
SHIPYARD workers on the Clyde are being betrayed by plans to build a new fleet of multimillion-pound warships across the UK, according to a city MP.
Glasgow South West MP Chris Stephens, who is also the SNP spokesman on Trade Unions and Workers’ Right at Westminster, hit out after it was revealed that a new fleet could be built in blocks across several British shipyards and then assembled at a central hub.
The Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon said the first batch of new Type 31e frigates would be built with the export market in mind, with the UK shipbuilding industry potentially serving both the Royal Navy, and navies of allies and partners.
As part of this approach, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced that the first batch of five Type 31e frigates could be built across different shipyards, before being assembled at a central site. Their cost would be capped at no more than £250 million each.
Mr Stephens, however, believes that the move is unnecessary.
He said: “The news by the Government today will be seen as a betrayal and a further extension of broken promises that were made only a couple of years ago.
“I think that it is very disappointing that the centre of excellence which is the Govan and Scotstoun yards are going to be denied work that was promised to them.”
He added: “The move to go to competition will be viewed by the Clyde as betrayal and the Scottish ship building workforce will be very disappointed to hear that fleet support ships will be going out to international competition. A move that is completely and utterly unnecessary.”
The frigates are due to be in service by 2023 and shipyards would be encouraged to ensure the vessel was competitive on the global market by working with “global partners”.
The plans form part of a new national shipbuilding strategy which accepts the recommendations of an independent report into the industry by Sir John Parker, the chairman of mining giant Anglo American.
In November, Sir John said the Navy fleet was being depleted by a “vicious cycle” of old ships retained beyond their sell-by date, and found that the procurement of naval ships took too long from concept to delivery compared with other industries.
He recommended a “sea change”, with “pace and grip” from the Government so that ship- yards across the UK could compete to win work and create jobs.
The separation of the building work for the new frigates reflects the approach taken for the Navy’s biggest ever ship, the 65,000-tonne aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth.
The MoD said the ship was built in blocks by more than 10,000 people in six British cities, before being assembled in Rosyth in Scotland, then commencing sea trials in June and arriving in her home port of Portsmouth last month.
Scottish National Party defence spokesman Stewart McDonald said: ‘’This has been very long awaited – long promised and is depressingly as expected from this UK Government.
“It is nothing to do with ambition – it is all about squeezing costs to the bone.”