Source · Select Committees · Scottish Affairs Committee
Recommendation 44
44
Acknowledged
In his foreword to the National Shipbuilding Strategy Refresh, the Defence Secretary says the UK...
Conclusion
In his foreword to the National Shipbuilding Strategy Refresh, the Defence Secretary says the UK Government “will give industry a much clearer demand signal about what we are trying to achieve with our procurement programmes” and that for the first time the 70 Professor Trevor Taylor, RUSI (DIS0033) Defence in Scotland: military shipbuilding 21 UK Government would release a 30-year pipeline of all Government vessel procurements.71 However, the Government subsequently clarified, in response to concerns raised by the Defence Select Committee about the surety of the pipeline, that this did not mean work would be guaranteed throughout the 30-year period: The NSbS refresh will not provide a guaranteed pipeline of work for UK yards. However, through the 30 Year Cross-Government Shipbuilding Pipeline, there is ample opportunity to create a baseline of volume to encourage industry investment in facilities, infrastructure, innovation and skills. The NSO will seek to maximise the opportunity for UK industry in this pipeline, within the limits of procurement law and international obligations. Whilst noting the Committee’s concerns regarding assurance of this pipeline, we consider it will create sufficient opportunities for UK yards to thrive.72
Government response summary AI-generated
The MOD recognises the importance of a regular drumbeat of orders and states the NSbS and 30-year pipeline aim to provide a sustainable demand signal. They also highlight workforce and programme details.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government · verbatim extract
Acknowledged
The 30-year cross-Government Shipbuilding Pipeline of over 150 new vessels aims to do just that. It sets out a huge range of opportunities for UK shipyards and the variety of vessels creates a baseline of volume to encourage industry investment in facilities, infrastructure, innovation and skills. As the pipeline spans a 30-year period, it is subject to change and the details of shipbuilding programmes in the later decades will come with time. Nonetheless, the NSO has committed to updating the shipbuilding pipeline at each multi-year Spending Review to ensure industry has a transparent pipeline of work to plan against.
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