Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Fleet Solid Support Ships

Monday 7 November 2022 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The initial phase of awarding the contract for fleet solid support ships is due very soon.
  • The UK Government expects successful contractors to invest in British yards, jobs, and supply chains.
  • Chris Evans inquired about the practical meaning of "significant" regarding the protection of sovereign defence manufacturing capabilities.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Alex Cunningham Lab
Defence
Context

A reporter for Radio Clyde in 1979 recalls standing under two ships built for the Polish navy launched into a river. The UK and other Governments had pride in their shipbuilding industry, but it was devastated by the Thatcher Government.

Question

If he will take steps to build the fleet solid support ships in the UK. In those days, the UK and other Governments had tremendous pride in our shipbuilding industry, but the Thatcher Government devastated it. Why do today's Tory Government not restore that pride? Why do they not commit to building those ships in British yards?

Answer from Ben Wallace

The initial phase of awarding the contract for fleet solid support ships is due very soon. As that is market-sensitive, I will limit my response to saying that what I expect from whoever is successful is investment in our yards, in British jobs and in British supply chains.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Commitment to build ships specifically in UK yards

How: Market-Sensitive

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Q2 Alex Cunningham Lab
Defence
Context

A reporter for Radio Clyde in 1979 recalls standing under two ships built for the Polish navy launched into a river. The UK and other Governments had tremendous pride in their shipbuilding industry, but it was devastated by the Thatcher Government.

Question

Why do today's Tory Government not restore that pride? Why do they not commit to building those ships in British yards?

Answer from Ben Wallace

I will certainly ignore the rewriting of history other than to say that we still take pride in the ships that we build in this country. Some of our ships are the very best in the world. We will continue that, unlike the Scottish Government, who seem to think that they cannot make their own ships in Scottish yards and make them in foreign yards.

Not addressed: Restoring pride in shipbuilding industry

How: Ignoring History

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Q3 Chris Evans Labour (Co-op) Caerphilly
Defence
Context

The GMB union has raised concerns that significant parts of the build and assembly work for the fleet solid support ship will be carried out in this country rather than all the work.

Question

Will the Secretary of State address what 'significant' means in the practical sense? If a foreign manufacturer wins the contract, how will our sovereign defence manufacturing capabilities be protected?

Answer from Ben Wallace

Complex military machines that keep us at the cutting edge of the world involve international collaboration. That is the difference between us and Russia, which has the Stalin taxi factory attitude and ends up with rubbish equipment. We end up with the best because I have the duty of giving the best to the men and women of the Royal Navy.

Not addressed: Addressing what 'significant' means and protecting manufacturing capabilities

How: International Collaboration

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