Securing Scotland’s Future: Defence Skills and Jobs

Kirsteen Sullivan Excerpts

Monday 26th October 2026 Commons Chamber

[Patricia Ferguson]

I absolutely agree with the hon. Lady. We are very grateful that the DTECs are going to happen—all credit to both Governments for working together on that—but apprenticeships will also come through our further education colleges, and it is important that they are given the resources to benefit from jobs not only in the defence sector but, for example, in clean energy, which our Committee has heard so much about.

[Kirsteen Sullivan (Bathgate and Linlithgow) (Lab/Co-op)]

I thank my hon. Friend for her statement and her leadership in this wide-ranging inquiry. Our Committee heard from defence companies and, as my hon. Friend mentioned, they spoke of debanking. They also spoke about sites being vandalised resulting in significant costs. They talked about careers fairs being disrupted and sometimes forced to close due to direct action by protesters. Not only does this present barriers to recruitment but it undermines investment in a key sector. Does she agree that this further underlines the need for a national conversation about defence, security and the ever-evolving threats facing our country? Does she also agree that elected representatives and Governments should engage in such a conversation in a responsible way that is fully cognisant of the geopolitical realities that we face?

[Patricia Ferguson]

My hon. Friend is right to highlight that point, because it was raised with us by those in the defence sector. The right to peaceful protest is something that we all recognise the need to respect and uphold, but she is right to highlight the problems that there have been on some occasions in the sector.

However, I draw heart from my experience of speaking to apprentices at BAE Systems in my constituency, who to my mind are the best advocates for the work that they are doing and the purpose to which that work will be put. They were able to tell me in very straightforward terms—just like they do with their mates down the pub at the weekend, as a couple of them told me—about the importance of their work, why they were doing it and how proud they were of it.