Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether their new Shipbuilding Strategy, published on 10 March, will ensure that new naval vessels will be built in British shipyards.

The National Shipbuilding Strategy Refresh reiterates the Ministry of Defence (MOD) shipbuilding procurement policy set out in the Defence and Security Industrial Strategy (DSIS). This states that the procurement approach for each class of ship will be determined on a case-by-case basis. As well as considering the specific capability requirements, the MOD will consider the long-term UK industrial impact of different options, including delivering value for money for the overall programme and maintaining the key UK industrial capabilities required for operational independence.

The MOD is clear that for national security reasons, the UK needs to maintain a shipbuilding enterprise.

Across all parts of the Government's 30 Year Cross-Government Shipbuilding Pipeline, the National Shipbuilding Office will seek to maximise the opportunity for UK industry, within our international and legal obligations. This is not limited to naval vessels; the pipeline includes vessels of all types, sizes and complexity, creating a baseline of volume to encourage industry investment in facilities, infrastructure, innovation and skills.