Nia Griffith, Shadow Secretary of State for Defence, responding to Sir John Parker’s independent report to inform the UK National Shipbuilding Strategy:

“This report should be a wake-up call to ministers, who have presided over severe cuts to the capabilities of the Royal Navy. Britain has a proud history as a world-leader in shipbuilding, and huge potential to be a major exporter in this area.

“But Tory cuts and misguided defence procurement policies have been putting this at risk, and undermining the British steel industry. As Sir John points out, keeping ships in service well beyond their sell-by date not only undermines our national security, it ends up costing the taxpayer more in the long run due to high maintenance costs.

“Only Labour can deliver a serious, joined-up Defence Industrial Strategy, as we did in Government. Our approach would safeguard Britain’s industrial base, secure high quality jobs throughout the supply chain, and protect our national sovereignty, while achieving value for money.

“We welcome Sir John’s contribution to this long overdue national shipbuilding strategy, and hope the Government’s response in the Spring will address the major concerns he – and the Labour Party – have been raising.”

Ends

Notes to Editors

• Sir John Parker’s report is published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-national-shipbuilding-strategy-an-independent-report  
• In his covering letter to the Secretary of State for Defence, Sir John writes: “The current situation is that fewer (more expensive) ships than planned are ordered too late. Old ships are retained in service well beyond their sell-by date with all the attendant high costs of so doing. This vicious cycle is depleting the RN fleet and unnecessarily costing the taxpayer. It needs to be broken.”

• On Monday 15 November the Defence Select Committee said the number of ships in the Royal Navy has reached “a dangerous and an historic low”. http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201617/cmselect/cmdfence/221/221.pdf