§ Mr. WrayTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the Review of Warship Maintenance and Support; what discussions are being held on privatisation; and what assessment has been made of potential job losses. [22076]
§ Mr. Ingram[holding answer 12 December 2001]: The Warship Support Modernisation initiative is looking at ways to modernise support arrangements across all UK Naval Bases and Dockyards, and, by reducing national spare capacity, to achieve savings for the defence budget. We have received proposals from the Dockyard Companies for the provision of certain Naval Base outputs in partnering arrangements with the Naval Base Commanders. These are now being assessed alongside alternative proposals received from our joint Trade Unions. All options are being evaluated fully and without prejudice. Decisions on the way ahead are expected early next year.
Privatisation is not being considered—if partnering with private companies is decided on as the way ahead, the Naval Bases would continue to be run by the Naval Base Commander, with the commercial partner helping to provide part of the service.
Assessments are being undertaken of the potential, should partnering go ahead, for a number of civil staff employed at the Naval Bases to be transferred to the companies. It is too early to say what impact each of the options would have on employment at the Naval Bases.
§ Mr. WrayTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the names and locations of the shipyards that provide maintenance and support to RN warships and auxiliaries; and how many people are employed at them. [22082]
§ Mr. Ingram[holding answer 12 December 2001]: Currently, maintenance and support of the Royal Navy Fleet is principally provided by the three Naval Bases and by the privately owned dockyard companies at Rosyth and Devonport and the commercial managers of the Fleet Maintenance and Repair Organisation at Portsmouth. The number of people employed at the Naval Bases and by the commercial companies (derived from our negotiations on overhead rates) are as follows.
969W
Location Numbers of civilian employees Babcock BES Rosyth 2,360 Devonport Management Ltd. 4,000 Fleet Support Ltd. Portsmouth 1,070 Naval Base Clyde 2,840 Naval Base Devonport 1,450 Naval Base Portsmouth 1,200 Work on minor warships and auxiliaries and also on Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels is generally completed. In addition to Babcock BES, DML and FSL, a varying number of commercial shipyards tender for such work, including Forth Esturary Engineering (Leith), Garvel Clyde Ltd. (Greenock), Buckie Shipyard (Buchan), Timbacraft Ltd. (Faslane), Swansea Drydock (South Wales), Milford Haven Shiprepairers (South Wales), Specialist Heavy Engineers Ltd. (Cardiff), Holyhead Marine (Anglesey), John Kearney (Belfast), A & P Holdings (Wallsend and Falmouth), Richards Drydock (Great Yarmouth), Small & Co. (Lowestoft), Camper and Nicholson (Gosport), Hythe Marine Services (Southampton), Manor Marine Ltd. (Portland), Mashford Bros. Ltd. (Plymouth), Penzance Drydock (Penzance) and Appledore Shipbuilders (North Devon). Details of the employment levels within these companies are not held.