Select Committee · Scottish Affairs Committee

Defence in Scotland

Status: Closed Opened: 30 Jul 2021 Closed: 17 Jan 2024 36 recommendations 108 conclusions 3 reports

Inquiry series The Committee has launched an inquiry series into Defence in Scotland. This began with an inquiry into the military personnel and military estate landscape in Scotland, and continues with ongoing inquiries into military shipbuilding in Scotland and Defence in the North Atlantic and the High North. The North Atlantic and the High North …

Reports

3 reports

Title	HC No.	Published	Items	Response
Seventh Report - Defence in Scotland: the North Atlantic an…	HC 1576	21 Jul 2023	28	Responded
Fourth Report - Defence in Scotland: military shipbuilding	HC 1096	27 Jan 2023	98	Responded
First Report - Defence in Scotland: military landscape	HC 82	24 Jun 2022	18	Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

4 items

5 Recommendation Fourth Report - Defence in Scotland: mi… Not Addressed

The UK Government should set out its reasoning for selecting Team Resolute as the preferred...

The UK Government should set out its reasoning for selecting Team Resolute as the preferred bidder for building the new order of Fleet Solid Support ships. Specifically, it should confirm whether the bid from Team Resolute offered the lowest price to the UK Government of the bids submitted.

Government response. The government stated that the decision to award the Fleet Solid Support ship contract to Team Resolute did not prioritise short-term savings, that Scottish shipyards are building Type 26 and Type 31 frigates, and that both Harland & Wolff and …

Scotland Office

56 Conclusion Fourth Report - Defence in Scotland: mi… Not Addressed

Prior to the announcement of the Batch 2 contract, the Defence Secretary informed the House...

Prior to the announcement of the Batch 2 contract, the Defence Secretary informed the House in a Written Ministerial Statement that there would be a 12-month delay to the Batch 1 frigates becoming operational, from October 2027 to October 2028. The cost of the project would therefore grow by 4.2 …

Government response. The response acknowledges the delay in the Initial Operating Capability date of the first Type 26, HMS Glasgow, due to a number of complex reasons including global challenges, and that work is underway to increase productivity and improve on the …

Scotland Office

60 Conclusion Fourth Report - Defence in Scotland: mi… Not Addressed

As discussed in Chapter 2, in November 2022 the MOD took the decision to select...

As discussed in Chapter 2, in November 2022 the MOD took the decision to select Team Resolute as the preferred bidder for the Fleet Solid Support ships contract. The MOD did not select a bid from Team UK, a consortium which included BAE Systems and Babcock.

Government response. The government defends its decision to award the Fleet Solid Support ship contract to Team Resolute, citing ongoing work in Scottish shipyards, investment in the UK, and adherence to the National Shipbuilding Strategy.

Scotland Office

61 Conclusion Fourth Report - Defence in Scotland: mi… Not Addressed

Sir Simon Lister of BAE told us that were the FSS vessels not to be...

Sir Simon Lister of BAE told us that were the FSS vessels not to be built in Scotland it would create a gap in the continuity of orders for workers in the Scottish warship industry, but added that this gap could still be filled by other work: I see continuity …

Scotland Office

Oral evidence sessions

13 sessions

Date	Witnesses
5 Jun 2023	Brigadier Chris Ordway · Ministry of Defence, Clare Cameron · Ministry of Defence, Rt Hon James Heappey · Ministry of Defence	View ↗
24 Apr 2023	Dr Adam Bower · University of St Andrews, Professor Iain Woodhouse · University of Edinburgh, Professor Jacques Hartmann · University of Dundee	View ↗
27 Mar 2023	His Excellency Sturla Sigurjónsson · Icelandic Embassy, His Excellency Wegger Christian Strømmen · Norwegian Embassy	View ↗
6 Mar 2023	Dr Duncan Depledge · Loughborough University, Dr Marc DeVore · University of St Andrews, Dr Rowan Allport · Human Security Centre	View ↗
6 Dec 2022	Rear Admiral Rex Cox · Ministry of Defence, Rt Hon Ben Wallace · Ministry of Defence, Vice Admiral Paul Marshall CBE · Ministry of Defence	View ↗
14 Nov 2022	Hans Pung · RAND Europe, Professor Keith Hartley · University of York	View ↗
5 Sep 2022	Ben Carpenter Merritt · Babcock, Gordon McGuinness · Skills Development Scotland, Ivan McKee MSP · Scottish Government, Professor John Howie MBE · Babcock International, Rory McGregor · Scottish Government, Scott McClelland · Scottish Government, Sir Simon Lister · BAE Systems Naval Ships	View ↗
12 Jul 2022	Ben Carpenter Merritt · Babcock, Ivan McKee MSP · Scottish Government, Oliver Waghorn · BAE Systems, Professor John Howie MBE · Babcock International, Sir Simon Lister · BAE Systems Naval Ships	View ↗
13 Jun 2022	Ian Waddell · The Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions (CSEU), Kevin Craven · ADS Group - Aerospace, Defence, Security & Space, Richard Powell OBE · Society of Maritime Industries (SMI)	View ↗
21 Mar 2022	Damian Parmenter CBE · Ministry of Defence, David Brewer · Defence Infrastructure Organisation, Sherin Aminossehe · Ministry of Defence, The Baroness Goldie DL · Ministry of Defence	View ↗
7 Mar 2022	Councillor Rod Cavanagh · Fife Council, Fergus Murray · Argyll and Bute Council, Keith Brown MSP · Scottish Government, Kevin McGowan · Scottish Government, Provost Peter Smaill · Midlothian Council, Rhona Gunn · Moray Council, Rory McGregor · Scottish Government	View ↗
21 Feb 2022	Dr Hina Khan · Spire Global Limited, Dr Suzanne Costello · MCS Limited, Jamie Mincher · Glenalmond Group, John Howie MBE · Babcock, Kevin Craven · ADS Group - Aerospace, Defence, Security & Space, Oliver Waghorn · BAE Systems, Stephen McCann · Thales	View ↗
31 Jan 2022	Collette Musgrave · Army Families Federation, Lieutenant General (retd) Sir Andrew Gregory KBE CB DL · SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, Maria Lyle · RAF Families Federation, Professor Phillips O'Brien · University of St Andrews, Professor Trevor Taylor · Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), Sarah Clewes · Naval Families Federation	View ↗

Correspondence

2 letters

Date	Direction	Title
6 Apr 2023	From cttee	Letter to Rt Hon Ben Wallace MP, Secretary of State for Defence at Ministry of …
7 Feb 2023	To cttee	Letter from Rt Hon Ben Wallace MP, Secretary of State for Defence at Ministry …