Shipbuilding: Use of British Steel for Royal Navy

Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton Excerpts

Tuesday 30th November 2021 Lords Chamber

[Viscount Younger of Leckie (Con)]

This goes some way off the maritime sector, but I can say that we have established a joint industry and BEIS steel procurement task force, which launched on 12 March 2021. Its aim is to work with the sector to promote the unique selling points of UK steel and explore how best to support the industry and position it for success in forthcoming major public contracts. This surely plays into the noble Lord’s question on HS2.

[Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton (Con)]

What are the consequences of any further delay in the delivery of the Dreadnought-class submarines?

[Viscount Younger of Leckie (Con)]

I hope I can reassure my noble friend that the Dreadnought submarine programme remains on track for the first of class, the eponymous HMS “Dreadnought”, to enter service in the early 2030s. As this programme progresses, we continue to review life-extension options to ensure that the Vanguard-class submarines continue to operate safely during the phased transition from Vanguard to Dreadnought.