Warship Building (Hansard, 19 March 2001)

§ Dr. Moonie

The strategic defence review announced the largest warship-building programme for many years amounting to over 30 major vessels. It remains Government policy that all warships for the Royal Navy will continue to be built in the UK. This commitment, together with the size of our forward programme, offers a platform for UK In Industry to plan ahead and modernise. This in turn will allow them to improve their competitiveness for naval export orders, and in competing for the commercial opportunities that are essential if the existing capacity is to be maintained or enhanced.

In the last nine months, this Government have placed orders for two survey vessels with Vosper Thornycroft (UK) Ltd. and announced the company as the preferred bidder for the provision of three offshore patrol vessels; a prime contract for the design and build of the first three type-45 destroyers was placed with BAE Systems Electronics; and we have ordered the design and build of two alternative landing ships logistic from Swan Hunter (Tyneside) Ltd. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence has also announced that, subject to satisfactory terms and conditions being negotiated, the BAE Systems Marine yard at Govan will receive an order for an additional two alternative landing ships logistic. These orders and announcements will create or secure several thousand jobs in UK shipyards and their ancillary industries throughout this country.

Over the next few years, orders will be placed for the follow-on batches of Astute class submarines and type-45 destroyers, and also for the detailed design and build of the future aircraft carriers. Our longer-term plans include the future surface combatant programme to replace the current type-22 and type-23 frigates and a variety of other vessels.