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| Work on eight Type 26 frigates to begin in Summer 2017 | Work on eight Type 26 frigates to begin in Summer 2017 |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Work on building eight Type 26 frigates at shipyards in Glasgow will start next summer, the defence secretary has said. | |
| Michael Fallon said the date for cutting the first steel would safeguard hundreds of skilled jobs until 2035. | Michael Fallon said the date for cutting the first steel would safeguard hundreds of skilled jobs until 2035. |
| He also announced that a contract for two new offshore patrol vessels would be signed shortly, securing jobs before the Type 26 frigate work is under way. | He also announced that a contract for two new offshore patrol vessels would be signed shortly, securing jobs before the Type 26 frigate work is under way. |
| Unions welcomed the news but said the UK government had not delivered on all promises made to the Clyde shipyards. | Unions welcomed the news but said the UK government had not delivered on all promises made to the Clyde shipyards. |
| The Type 26 frigate is principally designed for anti-submarine warfare and will partially replace the current Type 23 frigate. | The Type 26 frigate is principally designed for anti-submarine warfare and will partially replace the current Type 23 frigate. |
| An £859m initial development deal to build the combat ships, at BAE's Govan and Scotstoun yards on the River Clyde in Glasgow, was signed in February 2015. | An £859m initial development deal to build the combat ships, at BAE's Govan and Scotstoun yards on the River Clyde in Glasgow, was signed in February 2015. |
| But the project has been scaled back from an initial 13 ships to eight and hit by repeated delays, with concerns that jobs could be lost as a result. | But the project has been scaled back from an initial 13 ships to eight and hit by repeated delays, with concerns that jobs could be lost as a result. |
| 'Value for money' | 'Value for money' |
| During a visit to Govan, Mr Fallon said: "Backed by Britain's rising defence budget, the Type 26 Programme will deliver a new generation of cutting-edge warships for our Royal Navy at best value for taxpayers. | During a visit to Govan, Mr Fallon said: "Backed by Britain's rising defence budget, the Type 26 Programme will deliver a new generation of cutting-edge warships for our Royal Navy at best value for taxpayers. |
| "The UK government's commitment today will secure hundreds of high-skilled shipbuilding jobs on the Clyde for at least two decades and hundreds more in the supply chain across Britain." | "The UK government's commitment today will secure hundreds of high-skilled shipbuilding jobs on the Clyde for at least two decades and hundreds more in the supply chain across Britain." |
| The defence secretary also announced a £100m contract with the consortium MBDA to deliver the Sea Ceptor missile defence system for the ships. | The defence secretary also announced a £100m contract with the consortium MBDA to deliver the Sea Ceptor missile defence system for the ships. |
| Gary Smith of the GMB union said it was "fantastic news" for the upper Clyde shipyards - though he said the UK government had not delivered on all its promises. | Gary Smith of the GMB union said it was "fantastic news" for the upper Clyde shipyards - though he said the UK government had not delivered on all its promises. |
| He told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme: "We were told there was going to be a 'frigate factory' built on the Clyde that would allow us to deliver ships more efficiently. | He told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme: "We were told there was going to be a 'frigate factory' built on the Clyde that would allow us to deliver ships more efficiently. |
| "It would perhaps have given us the facility to build ships that could be exported. | "It would perhaps have given us the facility to build ships that could be exported. |
| "And Michael Fallon in truth was dragged kicking and screaming to this announcement today after we exposed the fact that his government did plan to move some of the work originally planned for the Clyde, down south. | "And Michael Fallon in truth was dragged kicking and screaming to this announcement today after we exposed the fact that his government did plan to move some of the work originally planned for the Clyde, down south. |
| "But cutting through it all, great news for the workforce and great news for the economy in greater Glasgow as well." | "But cutting through it all, great news for the workforce and great news for the economy in greater Glasgow as well." |
| The promise of new Royal Navy orders to secure the Clyde shipbuilding industry was made before the Scottish independence referendum in 2014. | The promise of new Royal Navy orders to secure the Clyde shipbuilding industry was made before the Scottish independence referendum in 2014. |
| The number of planned new frigates was later scaled back from 13 to eight in the Strategic Defence Review, with the MoD now planning to build five smaller Type 31 warships in addition to the Type 26 fleet. | The number of planned new frigates was later scaled back from 13 to eight in the Strategic Defence Review, with the MoD now planning to build five smaller Type 31 warships in addition to the Type 26 fleet. |
| The defence secretary said design work on the Type 31s was ongoing and he was unable to promise the work would come to the Clyde yards. | The defence secretary said design work on the Type 31s was ongoing and he was unable to promise the work would come to the Clyde yards. |
| But he told Good Morning Scotland BAE systems would be in "pole position" to win the orders. | But he told Good Morning Scotland BAE systems would be in "pole position" to win the orders. |
| Defence Minister Harriet Baldwin recently faced calls from SNP and Labour MPs to confirm a timeframe for cutting steel on the Type 26 frigates. | Defence Minister Harriet Baldwin recently faced calls from SNP and Labour MPs to confirm a timeframe for cutting steel on the Type 26 frigates. |
| But she said it would be "inappropriate" to do so as negotiations continued. | But she said it would be "inappropriate" to do so as negotiations continued. |
| Work on the frigates was originally due to start this year. Unions raised concerns in April that up to 800 jobs could be lost at the Clyde shipyards if there was any backsliding on commitments. | Work on the frigates was originally due to start this year. Unions raised concerns in April that up to 800 jobs could be lost at the Clyde shipyards if there was any backsliding on commitments. |
| The yards currently employ more than 2,500 people, though hundreds of jobs have been lost over the past two years as BAE has reduced shipbuilding capacity. | The yards currently employ more than 2,500 people, though hundreds of jobs have been lost over the past two years as BAE has reduced shipbuilding capacity. |
| According to BAE, the Type 26 Global Combat Ship will be a "highly capable and versatile multi-mission warship" designed to support anti-submarine warfare, air defence and general purpose operations anywhere on the world's oceans. | According to BAE, the Type 26 Global Combat Ship will be a "highly capable and versatile multi-mission warship" designed to support anti-submarine warfare, air defence and general purpose operations anywhere on the world's oceans. |
| The Type 26 will replace the UK's Type 23 frigates, with the first due to enter service in the early 2020s. | The Type 26 will replace the UK's Type 23 frigates, with the first due to enter service in the early 2020s. |
| Each ship will carry a crew of 185, have a top speed of 28 knots and a range of 7,800 nautical miles. | Each ship will carry a crew of 185, have a top speed of 28 knots and a range of 7,800 nautical miles. |
| Timeline: Type 26 frigates and the Clyde | Timeline: Type 26 frigates and the Clyde |
| 25 March 2010: BAE signs £127m contract to design Type 26 frigates for Royal Navy | 25 March 2010: BAE signs £127m contract to design Type 26 frigates for Royal Navy |
| 11 October 2010: Sixth and last of the Royal Navy's new Type 45 Destroyers launched on the River Clyde | 11 October 2010: Sixth and last of the Royal Navy's new Type 45 Destroyers launched on the River Clyde |
| 6 November 2013: Scottish Secretary warns that plans to build new Royal Navy vessels in Glasgow could be endangered by a Yes vote in independence referendum | 6 November 2013: Scottish Secretary warns that plans to build new Royal Navy vessels in Glasgow could be endangered by a Yes vote in independence referendum |
| 1 December 2014: Defence Secretary Michael Fallon confirms the UK's new warships will be built on the Clyde | 1 December 2014: Defence Secretary Michael Fallon confirms the UK's new warships will be built on the Clyde |
| 20 February 2015: Ministry of Defence signs £859m initial development deal on Type 26 Frigate. Manufacturing phase is expected to begin in 2016. | 20 February 2015: Ministry of Defence signs £859m initial development deal on Type 26 Frigate. Manufacturing phase is expected to begin in 2016. |
| 23 November 2015: Prime Minister David Cameron announces in defence review that eight new Type 26 Global Combat Ships will be built on the Clyde, scaling back on initial plans for 13 warships | 23 November 2015: Prime Minister David Cameron announces in defence review that eight new Type 26 Global Combat Ships will be built on the Clyde, scaling back on initial plans for 13 warships |
| 23 April 2016: First Minister Nicola Sturgeon calls for "cast iron assurances" jobs will not be lost at Clyde shipyards because of contract delays | 23 April 2016: First Minister Nicola Sturgeon calls for "cast iron assurances" jobs will not be lost at Clyde shipyards because of contract delays |
| 27 June 2016: No deal to build new generation of Royal Navy warships will be signed until it offers "value for money", Mr Fallon says | 27 June 2016: No deal to build new generation of Royal Navy warships will be signed until it offers "value for money", Mr Fallon says |
| 19 October 2016: UK government refuses to say when the next generation of Royal Navy warships will be built | 19 October 2016: UK government refuses to say when the next generation of Royal Navy warships will be built |
| 4 November 2016: Defence secretary confirmed first steel on the new frigates will be cut in the summer of 2017 with contracts for two offshore patrol vessels to be announced shortly. | 4 November 2016: Defence secretary confirmed first steel on the new frigates will be cut in the summer of 2017 with contracts for two offshore patrol vessels to be announced shortly. |