Securing Scotland’s Future: Defence Skills and Jobs

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Monday 26th October 2026 Commons Chamber

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Judith Cummins)]

Order. Members may wish to be aware that I will let the Select Committee statement overrun slightly to get everybody in. Please can we keep questions and answers concise?

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. I very much welcome what the Chair of the Select Committee has put forward. If we removed the word “Scotland” from the report and replaced it with “Northern Ireland”, every recommendation would be the same for us. I think of some of the things we have done in Northern Ireland. For instance, Thales has organised apprenticeships where the students get their fees paid, and they also get a wage. Has the Committee had an opportunity to look at how that could be done in Scotland? Has it also looked to ensure that men and women—especially young girls and young ladies—can have opportunities in engineering projects for the future?

[Patricia Ferguson]

If all of Northern Ireland has the ingenuity that the hon. Member has in weaving his constituency into every debate, we will be doing really well. We have not looked at Northern Ireland in particular. I know Thales, because it used to be based in my constituency; it has since moved to another part of the country. However, he is right. It is very important, and it is wonderful to see so many young women working in skills that were traditionally thought to be for men only.