The Ministry of Defence has said the current shortage of raw materials at Liberty Steel’s Dalzell plant is assessed as posing a low risk to the construction of the Royal Navy’s future Fleet Solid Support ships.
In a written answer to Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty, Defence Minister Luke Pollard said that the department’s assessment of the situation was limited in scope, stating that “the current assessment of the potential impact of the raw material shortage at Liberty Steel’s Dalzell plant, on the construction of the three Fleet Solid Support (FSS) ships for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, is deemed low.”
The response follows earlier concerns over the Motherwell-based plant’s ability to supply plate steel for the programme amid ongoing financial instability within Liberty Steel’s parent company, GFG Alliance. Dalzell had been expected to contribute steel for the three 216 metre vessels, including the first ship, RFA Resurgent, which is currently planned for delivery in 2031.
Pollard’s answer emphasised that responsibility for steel procurement does not sit directly with the Ministry of Defence. According to the minister, “the sourcing of steel for the FSS programme is a matter for the prime contractor, Navantia UK.” He added that the company’s objective is “to maximise UK steel content wherever it is technically and commercially feasible, while protecting the delivery schedule.”
The statement reflects the contractual structure of the programme, under which Spanish state-owned shipbuilder Navantia is responsible for supply chain decisions while operating through its UK subsidiary. Ministers have previously stressed that domestic steel use is encouraged but not mandated where it could place cost or timelines at risk.
UK Defence Journal previously reported that Dalzell was preparing to restart production specifically to support naval shipbuilding, after assurances from the Scottish Government that the site had secured work linked to the FSS programme. That position was later thrown into doubt after reports of renewed cash flow problems affecting the plant’s access to raw materials. Dalzell remains the UK’s only remaining plate mill and has been described by Scottish ministers and trade unions as a strategic national asset.
Is deemed low, for the simple fact there is no intention of building these ships in this current (fucking useless) Parliament.
and yet construction of RFA Resurgent began last-month at Appledore with the steel cutting…
Like I said they won’t be built in this current parliament and certainly won’t be in service.
and yet construction has begun…
Here we go! They will not be built and in service in this Parliament, but if you trust this Government to bring them into service prior to the next election, well done up to you.
ah so you’ve changed your mind from “not building” to “might be built but won’t be in service”…
😂🤣😂
Well it won’t be, unless Starmer comes up with a way of extending the life of the this Parliament. Completion of trials and entry into service is planned for 2031.
Oh dear I am still living rent free in your head! Have another read of my original post, stating they will not be built in this parliament and as you have confirmed with the ISDs and the next election, it is good to see you agree with me. I knew you would come around to my way of thinking.
“there is no intention of building these ships in this current (fucking useless) Parliament”
I’m sorry to say you’ve got it wrong, Airborne. You stated there was no intention of building them; the fact that construction has started and the build is ongoing means you’re wrong.
If you meant finished or in service, you’ve made a poor choice of words, and realistically that was highly unlikely to happen in the current parliament regardless of which party was in government. This parliament ends in 2029; when was the last time we built and commissioned a 30,000t+ ship in less than 4 years?
Oh dear it’s the pedantic word police, conveniently supported old spocky! Regardless of a poor choice of words (it’s a good job we have the word police to set us all straight, where would we be eh?) the fact they’ve cut a bit of steel, means nothing. But if you bother to read my initial post, it is factually correct as these ships will not be built in this current parliament, which both you and old spocky have confirmed. I would say let spocky know, but I’m sure he does already eh? 😉
PS the fact you have latched onto an old conversation where you were not involved is a little sad, as it’s a bit of a boring subject anyway!
There goes the benefit of the doubt that you’d made a simple error that you refused to admit.
Out of curiosity, are you a troll, or just too divorced from reality to recognise that you were wrong and repeating it doesn’t make it true?
Clearly you’re just a sad little man who is too insecure to admit when he’s made a mistake and instead attacks those tho point it out.
I will reply to this post of yours as the most recent does not have a reply application! Firstly Spock trolls me, and posts responses (if you read them correctly) that makes efforts at putting words and interpretations that were not spoken!
Secondly, my reality is real, thanks for your concern, having lived and breathed many of the subjects on here that are discussed.
Thirdly, I don’t get excited or carried away by conversations on here, and don’t get too vexed, like many on here (you?) who want to get the last word in. Thanks for your concern and let spocky know will you (you and I know he already does eh)🤣
No I don’t troll you, but if you post misinformation or promote racism or other unacceptable beliefs I will highlight these.
I will respond to you here as your other replies don’t have the reply option. Firstly please do cut and paste my racist comments as you claim, and secondly, as you cannot do that, your responses are showing your active troll status.
Doh, you support Reform, or are you really so clueless not to recognise the racism within it? I’m sure some used that defence at Nuremberg…
Your strange but understandable fascination with me is now disturbing. Your anger can be seen in your posts, quite remarkable but do stop trolling me, good lad.
Well, construction will be underway during this parliament so I don’t immediately see how anyone is being effing useless so far.
If the previous lot had not dickered around for so long before placing the order, we would be even further ahead.
Starmer could announce a cure for cancer Monday morning and people will give him a barrage of abuse for costing pharmaceutical companies jobs.
😂😂😂
That’s the key here isn’t it. I lose track, but this programme seems to have been around forever and they’ve just started cutting steel.
I remember all the rows way back about whether they had to be home built or, if not classed as warships, could have been outsourced.
We’ve covered that before, I for one wouldn’t have batted an eyelid, like the Tides, we might have a FSS by now instead of nothing at all.
The biggest crime for me in the whole FSS saga was whichever minister and Admiral signed off on scrapping Fort George in 2010 instead of getting rid of the older and smaller Forts Rosalie ( Grange ) and Austin, which were so old already they barely got used.