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Union seeks assurances on Royal Navy ship orders Union seeks assurances on Royal Navy ship orders
(about 1 hour later)
Union representatives have said they hope to speak to Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon about the future of Scottish shipbuilding.Union representatives have said they hope to speak to Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon about the future of Scottish shipbuilding.
Sir Michael is to visit two shipyards on the Clyde later.Sir Michael is to visit two shipyards on the Clyde later.
Unite senior shop steward at BAE Systems, Duncan McPhee, said he was "not sure" if he could trust government promises on future orders.Unite senior shop steward at BAE Systems, Duncan McPhee, said he was "not sure" if he could trust government promises on future orders.
Mr Fallon said future work could underpin a "renaissance in UK shipbuilding".Mr Fallon said future work could underpin a "renaissance in UK shipbuilding".
He said the first batch of type 31e ships could be built in blocks across several shipyards before assembly at a central hub.
These ships and eight new type 26 frigates being built at Scotstoun are intended to replace ageing vessels in the Royal Navy fleet.
'Failed policy'
The union believes the UK government has reduced its commitment to building type 31e warships on the Clyde.The union believes the UK government has reduced its commitment to building type 31e warships on the Clyde.
Mr McPhee said: "The national shipbuilding strategy has changed. This work should have been concentrated in Glasgow. Mr McPhee told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme: "The national shipbuilding strategy has changed. This work should have been concentrated in Glasgow.
"It should have been 13 frigates. Now it is down to eight."It should have been 13 frigates. Now it is down to eight.
"I'm not sure if we can trust them any more." "The government is trying to introduce a failed policy for complex naval ships, which is to have open competition within a country.
Offshore patrol vessel "None of our peer countries do that - France, Italy Spain, Germany, certainly the USA. They have what is called a National Champion to provide complex naval ships.
"We had this failed policy in the past. If we go back to the 1980s, we had internal competition where shipyards went bust taking on contracts that they couldn't deliver."
He added: "We fully support spreading work across the UK if it can be done, but this is not the ship to do it on.
"This is about a 3,5000-tonne ship - 4,000 at the most - whereas the aircraft carriers Michael Fallon refers to were 65,000 tonnes each and they were done in block-builds across the UK and as we know assembled at Rosyth.
"A fantastic project - companies working together, trade unions working together to deliver that.
"That doesn't apply to the type 31 contract. It is only a small ship, so the block-build part across the UK will not happen because it would be absolutely uneconomic.
"What we should be doing, and what the trade unions on the Clyde fully support, is a UK campaign to make sure the work on the Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships that are coming up...is spread across the UK with them being assembled here.
"The government want to put that out to international tender which almost certainly will lead to these ships being built abroad and we will have another debacle like we did with the four oil tankers that we put out being done in Korea.
Central hub
"And it might be worth people checking out the performance of the Koreans on these ships - they are not exactly going too well."
Sir Michael is scheduled to visit BAE Systems' Scotstoun yard in Glasgow, where his wife Lady Wendy Fallon will officially name an offshore patrol vessel HMS Medway.Sir Michael is scheduled to visit BAE Systems' Scotstoun yard in Glasgow, where his wife Lady Wendy Fallon will officially name an offshore patrol vessel HMS Medway.
It is one of a fleet of five being built under contracts the MoD said were worth £626m.It is one of a fleet of five being built under contracts the MoD said were worth £626m.
Later the defence secretary will travel to the Ferguson shipyard in Port Glasgow.Later the defence secretary will travel to the Ferguson shipyard in Port Glasgow.
Mr McPhee added: "We will be at the naming ceremony and will hope to make representations.
"We will have discussions with politicians of all parties. Our main concern is the type 31s."
Sir Michael is making a tour of all the UK's major shipyards ahead of industry proposals for the new type of Royal Navy frigate.Sir Michael is making a tour of all the UK's major shipyards ahead of industry proposals for the new type of Royal Navy frigate.
He has already visited Cammell Laird shipyard in Merseyside, and Harland and Wolff in Belfast.He has already visited Cammell Laird shipyard in Merseyside, and Harland and Wolff in Belfast.
He said the first batch of type 31e ships could be built in blocks across several shipyards before assembly at a central hub.
These ships and eight new type 26 frigates being built at Scotstoun are intended to replace ageing vessels in the Royal Navy fleet.
Export marketExport market
Speaking ahead of his visit to the Clyde, Sir Michael said: "With our cutting-edge Type 26 frigates already being built on the Clyde, I know Scottish skilled engineers will relish the chance to compete to build a brand-new class of warships for the growing Royal Navy.Speaking ahead of his visit to the Clyde, Sir Michael said: "With our cutting-edge Type 26 frigates already being built on the Clyde, I know Scottish skilled engineers will relish the chance to compete to build a brand-new class of warships for the growing Royal Navy.
"We want to make the most of the renaissance in UK shipbuilding, delivering the latest ships that will help protect our nation and our interests across the world.""We want to make the most of the renaissance in UK shipbuilding, delivering the latest ships that will help protect our nation and our interests across the world."
The type 31e has been designed, in part, with the export market in mind.The type 31e has been designed, in part, with the export market in mind.
The UK government has said it will work with industry to "provide the certainty and support" needed for it to become internationally competitive.The UK government has said it will work with industry to "provide the certainty and support" needed for it to become internationally competitive.
The UK's approach to Royal Navy procurement has been strongly criticised by the SNP.The UK's approach to Royal Navy procurement has been strongly criticised by the SNP.
Defence spokesman Stewart McDonald MP said: "We have the skills, the expertise, the infrastructure in Scotland. But what we have also had is years of promises from Westminster that have been broken."Defence spokesman Stewart McDonald MP said: "We have the skills, the expertise, the infrastructure in Scotland. But what we have also had is years of promises from Westminster that have been broken."
The formal procurement competition for the new frigates will open in the new year.The formal procurement competition for the new frigates will open in the new year.