Industrial Strategy

Lord West of Spithead Excerpts

Wednesday 19th July 2017 Lords Chamber

[Lord Prior of Brampton]

I think that the noble Lord is confusing two things. This is a question about how the White Paper is to be structured. It is clear from the feedback received during the consultation period that technical skills is probably the most important area we need to focus on, along with universities and science and innovation, infrastructure, and what we all call “place”. We cannot have an industrial strategy that does not reach out to other parts of the country beyond London.

[Lord West of Spithead (Lab)]

My Lords, I am sure that the Minister will agree that a key plank of any industrial strategy is the shipbuilding strategy which we were promised in the spring of this year. It is now past the summer solstice and by the time we sit again the September equinox will have come and gone, so which spring are the Government talking about, bearing in mind that the recent order for three frigates does not really solve the terrible problem of having too few escorts for our great nation? It is a national disgrace. So when will the shipbuilding strategy actually be on the streets?