Scottish Secretary visits Clyde shipyards, reaffirms PM's backing for shipbuilding

Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander has reaffirmed the new Prime Minister's commitment to shipbuilding on the Clyde during a visit to BAE Systems in Glasgow, the Scotland Office has announced.

Visit Highlights

During the visit, Alexander met with apprentices, staff, and managers at the site, learning how UK Government investment is supporting skilled employment in Glasgow and beyond.

According to the Scotland Office, Scotland sits at the heart of the UK defence industrial base. The following were cited as evidence of what it terms Scotland's defence dividend:

• The Defence Investment Plan
• The £50 million Scottish Defence Growth Deal
• A £10 billion Norwegian shipbuilding contract

Political Context

The visit follows the appointment of Andy Burnham as Prime Minister, who took office outside 10 Downing Street on Monday 20 July. Burnham stated that keeping people safe is the first priority of any Prime Minister, adding that the government would honour its commitments on defence to international partners.

Burnham spoke to his Norwegian counterpart, Jonas Gahr Støre, on the day of the visit. Both leaders agreed that the partnership between the two countries could deliver industrial opportunities for communities at home.

Quotations

Douglas Alexander, Scottish Secretary:

"It was a pleasure to visit BAE Systems and see the incredible skills and expertise here in Glasgow. It shows exactly why Scotland is so central to our national defence and our industrial future. This is the defence dividend in action, billions of pounds of UK Government investment creating and sustaining good jobs in communities right across Scotland."

He added:

"Having been reappointed as Scottish Secretary earlier this week, I will work closely with Prime Minister Andy Burnham to drive good growth and give people back hope. Scotland's world-class defence sector, and the skilled jobs and apprenticeships at the heart of it, will be central to that ambition."

Sir Simon Lister, Managing Director of BAE Systems' Naval Ships business in Glasgow:

"We were delighted to welcome the Scottish Secretary to our yards. We're proud of our people and the work they do here in Glasgow for our customers, so it was a pleasure to introduce him to some of our talented colleagues. In the last two years, we have invested heavily in our skills and infrastructure to create a world class shipyard. These investments have created opportunities to serve customers here in the UK, and abroad, and create a new history for shipbuilding here in Glasgow."

Shipyard Operations

BAE Systems operates two yards on the Clyde, at Govan and Scotstoun, where the Royal Navy's Type 26 frigates are under construction. The company has invested in the sites over recent years, including a covered shipbuilding hall at Govan intended to allow assembly of complete ships under one roof rather than in open dry docks.

Norway's selection of the Type 26 design for its future frigate fleet extended the order book for the type, joining Australia and Canada among overseas operators of variants of the class.