§ Mr. SarwarTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will make a statement on the work of the Clyde Shipyards Taskforce. [35315]
§ Mrs. LiddellThe work of the Clyde Shipyards Task Force is embodied in the published report which was handed over on 4 February. The Task Force was established in response to the announcement by BAE Systems that around 1,000 redundancies would be required to be spread between both of its yards on the Clyde. The remit was to consider the immediate and longer-term strategic issues facing the Clyde shipbuilding1292W industry, particularly naval, and to identify the changes necessary to ensure a competitive industry and to exploit future opportunities.
Key successes include reducing the required number of redundancies to 450, the establishment of two Employee Support Centres, the planned investment by BAE Systems Marine of £75 million on Clydeside and the establishment of heating installation and engineer opportunities for redundant employees.
The report identified a total of 29 recommendations to be taken forward by Task Force Partners and for consideration by those outwith the Task Force. The report must be considered as a starting point, not an end in itself. Partners must deliver on their recommendations. Also there is the opportunity for BAE Systems to deliver a sound order book, based on the MoD contracts for Landing Craft (utility), Alternative Landing Ships Logistic and the Type 45 programme on which, for the first time in generations, the Clyde yards can plan and build for success. The work of the Task Force was part of that process.
As part of the continuing process, the redundancy sub-group will continue to meet each month to develop activity and review progress towards its targets. The Task Force Partners have also agreed to meet twice more over the next six months to maintain the momentum and focus on implementing their commitments.