The Scottish Affairs Committee warns that, despite the success achieved, risks to military shipbuilding work in Scotland include widening international procurement and the uncertainty of the long-term order pipeline.
The report states that “Scottish military shipbuilding is a major success story”, with the expertise and skills present at Scottish shipyards helping to secure contracts to build Type 26 anti-submarine warfare frigates and Type 31 frigates.
However, the Committee is concerned that “there is no longer a clear commitment to warships being designed and built in the UK, following recent indications the Ministry of Defence will allow ‘offshoring’ of military shipbuilding”.
You can read more on their concerns here.
Scottish Affairs Committee Chair, Pete Wishart MP, said:
“Military shipbuilding is a major Scottish success story. From Rosyth to Glasgow, we have military shipbuilding hubs that boost local economies and invest in skills and training. The recent announcement that Type 26 frigates will be built by BAE Systems in Glasgow is a major vote of confidence in the Scottish shipbuilding sector.
However, UK Government policy on military shipbuilding ebbs and flows. On the one hand, ministers are championing the skill and expertise the military shipbuilding sector thrives on in Scotland. But on the other, its policies have opened up the ‘offshoring’ of warship production to other countries.
The Government cannot have this both ways: a thriving shipbuilding sector is dependent on the drumbeat of orders. We have the skills and expertise here, in Scotland, to support our future military shipbuilding needs so it is unclear what benefit is to be had by opening up procurement to international competition.
We hope the UK Government carefully considers our findings and recommendations, and in turn offer some certainty to the military shipbuilding sector in Scotland that its prominence in designing and building warships is here to stay.”
Wishart also previously stated:
“What we have concluded is this, the whole defence sector in Scotland is in pretty good shape. There seems to be regular orders, there seems to be increased investment, it all seems to be good news.”
The report can be accessed here: https://publications.
The report yesterday showed very clearly scotlands share of UK defence spending is inline with its share of the population. Ship building is neither an economic argument for or against independence. It’s a neutral argument at best.
Totally agree. Shipbuilding doesn’t effect 100,000s of families like it used to. Ships are needed. Ship building companies decide where its best to build them.
Ship building companies decide the best place to build the ships? So a UK warship can be built in any country is what you are saying?
If shipbuilding was stopped in Scotland over night it would impact tens of thousands of people in Scotland, instantly.
No it isn’t in line with the average, and I wish you’d stop saying it is.
Scotland gets £370 per head military spending and the average is £310. And if you think £60 per head isn’t a lot of money, remember it’s all Yorkshire and Humberside gets. That difference between what Scotland gets and the actual average that you blithely ignore, that £60 a head is the total spent in an English region that has as many people in it as Scotland.
This exactly.
Your nit picking, given how complicated defence procurement is the figures are incredibly close to population % considering there is no Barnet formula equivalent. That’s also after an increase in naval procurement which benefits Scotland suggesting the figures were lower before and Scotland covers all the strategic locations for UK defence meaning more basing and less manufacturing in those figures.
If your unhappy with the way regional funding is allocated in England then you should vote for a different government and stop your constant blaming of Scotland for your problems.
This is all a load of tosh isn’t it?
It’s a non-event. The MOD needs to build ships somewhere. Currently for political reasons it’s mostly Scotland. A vote for independence by Scotland would mean Scotland becomes a foreign country. Therefore no more RN shipbuilding up there. Plenty of yards in England, Northern Ireland and Wales will benefit from that decision. Although it would be a peripheral issue when compared to the massive upheaval the SNP cause by breaking apart the UK.
It is tosh. Regurgitate it enough times and? People get sick of hearing it. We have a Supreme Court ruling, an apparent majority who want to remain in the UK. The Barnet Formula. And sadly a terrier in the form of an idiot “First Minister” who needs to disappear into a dark place, along with the other SNP lunatics who weekly divide the UK on a variety of issues. Including child abuse by the state. Says it all really to me. If it were not all so stupid it would be funny.
On some things I think we have a different opinion, on this, I couldn’t have put it better, more direct and effective myself 👍
Pete Wishart SNP MP for Perth and N.Perthshire.
There you’re welcome. Problem solved. That’s how much credibility you should give to anything he says about anything ever.
Jesus wept does this 24×7 drip feed of Scottish tripe ever end? Wish they’d just f### off and we can set up the North East to take over shipbuilding, a part of the country that gets f### all spent on it compared to the spoilt Scots. A part of the country that used to have a proud shipbuilding industry.
Marked replies like this really get my goat I’m proud to be both scottish and British and have served my country. You may get pissed off by SNP and their politics but the majority of Scots voted to remain in the Union and I take umbrage at your remarks back in my day 25% of UK forces of thereabouts were Scots
Trouble is, the Scots often do want independence from the UK and also consistently votes the SNP into office! I think constant SNP misinformation is the main problem!
Its not a pop at you or others. Its a pop at the constant SNP blathering, passing needless “law”, wasting money and a host of other garbage churned out daily. The SNP are like Sinn Fein to many of us, divisive to the point of being racist. They need calling out for what they are.
Racist is exactly what they are. Their polices are not built on anti uk. Not on what’s best for Scotland. It’s 100% anti English hatred. And Scotland vote for them in mass. To try and counter this our appeasing government ensures Scotland gets a monopoly on shipbuilding. Gets no end of subsidies from us English mugsgiving the Scottish public stuff we can only dream of. Gets far more spent on it than the region of England I live in. Eats up way more in spending than it generates in tax revenue. Let them go and we’ll be better off without… Read more »
An example of the stupidity? I hold a Firearms Certificate issued in England. I can travel to Scotland and shoot anywhere. If however I cross the border with a sub 12 pound air rifle ( legal in the rest of the UK and not requiring a “ticket” ) I am committing an offence under Scottish firearms law, because I do not have a Scottish “ticket” as all air weapons need one in Scotland. THAT is one example of the stupidity. You know the rest, and yes, Northern England gets a raw deal. Nothing against individual Scots, just hatred of a… Read more »
Not acceptable at all. And the more noise from Scotland the more they’ll get, at our expense. Enough is enough.
I used to love Scotland. Had a Scottish grandmother, Scottish family, spent a lot of time up there, loved the culture and history. The attitude from north of the border has just killed it all stone dead.
Hi John, yes they have passed some seriously stupid laws etc , you can thank your lucky stars you don’t have to live up here, but it’s where we are at in Scotland. Sure there are some people who are anti English some who dislike the current govt and others who probable howl at the moon but I believe that we are better as a United Kingdom. Yes Scotland builds ships, England and Wales heavy armour subs and aircraft and Ulster has missiles from Thales. As an aside I think England should have days set aside in Parliament to debate… Read more »
I understand most viewpoints. Lived up there for a few years and love it, apart from the midges. I am no royalist, not a flag shagger either. Would love to see a federal Britain with regional bodies doing the day to day stuff, but cooperation on defence etc. We are all a victim of history my friend, and outdated systems of governance. All designed to maintain an antique status quo. It suits the ptb to create divisions. Today l read a whistle blower account by an army officer who admits 77 Brigade WAS employed to counter anti government views during… Read more »
It’s not “Northern England” that gets a raw deal: It’s Yorkshire and the North East. The North West builds submarines at Barrow, maintains ships at Lairds, build Boxers in Stockport. BAES are testing the new Typhoon radar at Warton, etc etc. BAES employs 89,000 people worldwide, with 70 sites across the UK. it must do something in Yorkshire, right? It has one site and what do they do there? “Recent announcements effectively bring to an end an illustrious history of complete aircraft production at the UK’s oldest remaining aircraft factory.” That’s what they do there. It’s the same throughout the industry. Thales… Read more »
I am a Tyke ( exiled ) 😎
But it’s what people voted for, the same people voted to stay in the UK. You say it’s not a pop at people when it clearly is.
Englands regional problems are not Scotland or the SNP’s fault.
It is not a pop at individuals. It is a pop at a sick, outdated and antique system of governance. A system not fit for purpose that protects a rich and tiny minority at the expense of old, disabled and poor people. I am no socialist either. Just sick of self serving politicians feeding from a trough who rule by soundbite. As for my views on democracy? Smoke and mirrors, an illusory tool that gives a sense of “you have a say”. Try a Swiss model, where at least government is held in check by the population. Hell I can… Read more »
The mood music from the SNP isn’t brilliant. When FSSS is going to be handled in 5 named places: H&W Belfast, Appledore, Navantia, and two fabrication plants in Scotland, the Scottish MPs complain because Scotland isn’t getting enough. With no thought at all for anyone else.
I’m sure you can see how those already getting over-average investment, being awarded yet more but still complaining it’s not enough is galling to those getting no investment at all.
The only thing worse than the SNP are the little englanders. Draped in a Union Jack when it suits them.
Last time the north east tried to build a warship was a disaster. Ship building on the Tyne was ended long before Scottish independence was on the cards. You were given same chance as Scotland for a devolved government and you turned it down.
I want to read that the money has meant these yeards are sustainable, and end to end we can build and maintain ships without foreign involvement. But clearly not even close to reality. We need to just focus on one or two yard and accept the RN is reliant on foreign yards for all ships, which is a reality. The RN can not sustain their fleet without oversea parts (in the case of the frigate that means most of the armour, weapons and a subtaintail part of the over all parts including steel). Why waste tax payer money pretending otherwise,… Read more »