The government must prioritise procurement that benefits UK jobs
and industry out of the £2.9 billion extra defence
spending allocated in the Budget, Unite, the UK's
leading union, said.
The call comes as the parliamentary Defence Committee holds
its first evidence
session of the new Parliament today. The committee will
consider the impact of last week's Budget on defence spending.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham
said: “Government defence spending must be used to
secure UK jobs and skills. This country has world class
aerospace and shipbuilding capabilities. Buying British is
crucial if we are going to retain them, for the sake of our
national security as well as our future economic growth.”
Unite workplace reps from BAE Systems, Leonardo and Rolls Royce
recently attended parliament to lobby MPs on the importance of
spending defence funding for fast jets and helicopters in the UK.
BAE Systems Warton secretary and Unite executive council member,
Steve McGuinness, said: “Under the previous government, too
many UK workers lost out on defence procurement work due to it
being awarded to foreign competitors. As part of its economic
growth strategy, it is imperative that the Labour government now
seizes the opportunity to support skilled well-paid defence jobs
at home.
“A domestic defence procurement policy needs to be part of a new
defence industrial strategy. This is especially important for the
UK's aerospace sector, which needs support if the country is to
retain the ability to independently design, manufacture and
assemble fast jets and helicopters.”
