EXCLUSIVE – The Scottish Government has again failed to send a minister, at any level, to the steel cutting ceremony for a new Royal Navy frigate being built in Scotland.
The most recent missed attendance was the ceremony for HMS Formidable at Rosyth in October 2024.
The event marked a significant milestone in the construction of Type 31 frigates, a programme that is part of the UK’s naval renewal and provides pretty big economic benefits to Scotland’s shipbuilding industry. Invitations were sent to both the First Minister and Deputy First Minister, but according to a Freedom of Information response, “due to staff illness, there was a delay in processing the invitations, which unfortunately resulted in no Scottish Government representation at the event.”
Emails seen by the UK Defence Journal reveal the Scottish Government’s internal reflections on the situation. In one exchange, an official expressed regret over the lack of representation, explaining that the issue stemmed from personal circumstances and a breakdown in internal communication.
“I hope you are well and the steel cut went well. A quick note regarding lack of SG representation at the event – there was a breakdown in communication (me!) internally when this invite was processed. I’ve been off for the last few weeks with [REDACTED], and so the ministers’ offices were chasing the invite but there was no one further down the chain to pick up in my absence. So please accept my own apologies for that. I had been looking forward to it (had very much enjoyed the same event for ACTIVE a couple of years ago).”
The email also indicated efforts to address the oversight, adding, “The DFM wants to send an apology letter for non-attendance – who should this be addressed to?” This response does highlight the internal challenges faced by the Scottish Government and it also shows their recognition of the significance of the missed event.
Despite these challenges, the absence has reignited criticism of the government’s engagement with major defence events.
Repeated missed events
This absence follows a pattern of missed representation at key shipbuilding milestones. Ministers were also absent from the steel-cutting ceremony for HMS Birmingham at BAE Systems’ Govan yard, part of the £4.2 billion Type 26 frigate programme. Freedom of Information documents show that former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and then-Finance Secretary Kate Forbes were invited but declined due to “other commitments.” A government official confirmed the decision just one day before the event, writing, “Unfortunately, due to pre-existing commitments, the Cabinet Secretary is unable to attend. However, he has asked me to pass on his best wishes for a successful event.”
Further emails from the HMS Birmingham event highlight the government’s reliance on officials rather than ministers to represent them at such milestones. Two officials from the Manufacturing and Industries Division attended the ceremony on the government’s behalf.
One email confirmed that the First Minister and Finance Secretary were prioritising other matters, and no alternative arrangements were made for ministerial representation.
The non-attendance at these events reflects what critics describe as a broader pattern of minimal ministerial engagement with Scotland’s shipbuilding industry. While government officials have occasionally represented Scotland at such events, ministers have rarely been present at ceremonies celebrating the country’s contributions to UK naval projects.
‘We just want some recognition’
An industry insider expressed disappointment, saying, “It’s really disappointing not to see senior government figures at these key milestones. Events like these are an opportunity to celebrate the incredible work being done in Scotland’s shipyards, not just for the Royal Navy but for the country’s reputation as a leader in shipbuilding. When ministers don’t show up, it sends the wrong message to the industry and to the thousands of workers who contribute to these projects. It makes you wonder if they truly value the role this sector plays in the economy and in supporting communities. We’re not asking for much—just a recognition of the hard work and commitment that goes into building these vessels and sustaining Scotland’s place on the world stage.”
The HMS Formidable event also highlights a stark contrast between the approaches of the Scottish and UK Governments. While the UK Government has consistently sent senior representatives, such as Defence Procurement Ministers or even the Defence Secretary and Scottish Secretary, to attend these ceremonies, the Scottish Government’s attendance has often been limited to officials. Previous Defence Procurement Minister Alex Chalk had described the HMS Birmingham milestone as a “significant achievement for the Type 26 programme” and praised the contributions of Scottish workers.
Emails seen by the UK Defence Journal also suggest organisers were eager to accommodate the Scottish Government. A Babcock International representative noted, “There will be more events to come, and you are more than welcome to attend those – we will make sure that your name and the relevant Minister are on the list.”
This statement has raised questions about whether the government will take steps to improve its engagement with future milestones.
Speculation has arisen over whether political considerations have influenced the government’s lack of participation in these events. The £4.2 billion Type 26 programme represents a significant UK Government investment in Scotland, but some opposition politicians have claimed the Scottish Government is hesitant to engage with projects funded primarily by Westminster.
However, internal correspondence points to logistical issues, including scheduling conflicts and administrative delays, as the primary reasons for these missed opportunities.
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When did still cutting become an apparent big deal? We always had officials at launches but I’m hard pressed to figure out when steel cutting became a big deal especially when it’s not a first in class.
The SNP don’t give a s**t about anything in Fife and only marginally more about anything in Glasgow and your more likely to find them outside the gates of BAE shipyards protesting over Palestine than inside celebrating industrial jobs for predominantly white working class men that don’t fit into the parties vision of itself.
Some ceremony had to take over from keel laying because warships don’t have keels anymore. There was an attempt to call the first assembly of modules keel laying, but it didn’t seem to gain traction and we are marking first steel cut instead. At the other end of the build we don’t mark float off in the same way as we used to do launch and it’s a separate naming ceremony that gets the champagne treatment (the “champagne” being whisky for modern Scottish builds).
Times change.
A valid comment ruined by some stupid and ill-considered political linkage and rumour based point scoring exercise. The last part and unfounded inuendo of the second paragraph adds to this!
Do we have a reputation as a leader in ship building? I’m sure that’s not the case.
certainly not in the rate of production, it’s an embarrassment to British industry ability to deliver on contracts.
Just like the US.
I went to the maritime museum in Dubrovnik last year and on the walls were dozens of paintings of great ships built for Croatia, nearly all of which were built in the UK. Now we build barely anything and definitely not for foreign customers.
These days most countries looking to build warships want to build them domestically for their own growth and local supply agendas. Both the T26 and T31 have won overseas orders with considerable UK content even if the ships are being built in the client countries.
Cheers CR
Amazing! Just how childish are the SNP? You would think they would welcome the opportunity to celebrate manufacturing in Rosyth? I guess they are still sensitive regarding the Ferguson ferries fiasco. Perhaps their coping skills at seeing successful delivery of a shipbuilding contract are too overwhelming for them. If the SNP don’t want or support shipbuilding in Scotland why not relocate to Tyneside or Birkenhead or Devonport and invest in an area that appraises the investment & support
Building frigates in Scotland is hardly new. We started building them some time ago, and now the process is old-hat.
Why would any fully functioning adult remotely care about this?
Referring to those who care about Scotland’s shipbuilding industry and its workforce in such a dismissive way is unnecessary and frankly disrespectful. Thousands of people rely on this sector for their livelihoods, and events like these are important to recognise their contributions and celebrate Scotland’s industrial achievements. Criticism is fine, but language like this does nothing to further the discussion or show respect for those involved.
What a you expect from a left wing SNP government who would rather leave Scotland defenceless and scrap our nuclear umbrella.
Difficult to deny frigate building is occurring if you attend the steel-cutting ceremony.
That’s the main reason I suspect. Even the nats couldn’t maintain that lie any longer if there were photos of Sturgeon standing in front of a T26 in build.
Why? What lie? They weren’t, and now they are. Nicola Sturgeon hasn’t been involved for some time now, perhaps you weren’t aware?
Who denies they are being built? A long time ago there weren’t, now they are. Or have you just woken up? Everybody knows we are building frigates – until they are all built and then there aren’t!
government?so they all have a campervan?
id sooner know the progress of the ships in build. and why is venturer not launched?
What is so special? Why should a Minister attend the initial preparation of yet another warship? Do they attend every other build commencements? Do they not possibly have more important things to spend their time on? It seems a report generated merely to create headlines.