Labour responds to the Government’s shipbuilding strategy

Chris Evans MP, Labour’s Shadow Defence Procurement Minister, responding to the Government’s shipbuilding strategy, said: 

“Ministers are failing to ensure ships are built in the UK and to secure local jobs. 

“One in five ships have disappeared from our surface fleet since 2010 and, while a 30 year pipeline for industry is welcome, this strategy does not address the MOD’s deep-seated issues which mean none of its major shipbuilding programmes are on time or on budget.

“With growing threats and Russian aggression, our steel industry and shipyards are essential to national security. Labour is committed to a “British built by default” approach to defence procurement which would build resilience in our supply chains and protect our security.”

ENDS

Notes to editors:

1. NAO Equipment Report 2021-2030

https://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/The-Equipment-Plan-2021-2031.pdf

2. MOD Surface fleet figures 

• 2010: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/military-formations-vessels-and-aircraft-2014 (Table 1)
• 2021: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-armed-forces-equipment-and-formations-2021 (Table 1)

3. Labour’s British Built by Default announcement 

https://labour.org.uk/press/labour-calls-on-the-government-to-invest-in-and-secure-british-jobs-for-the-defence-sector/ 

4. Government’s response to the Defence Committee’s Report - “We’re going to need a bigger Navy”

https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/8991/documents/152622/default/