Shipbuilding on the Clyde Debate

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Department: Ministry of Defence

Shipbuilding on the Clyde

Peter Grant Excerpts
Monday 25th April 2016

(8 years ago)

Commons Chamber
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Philip Dunne Portrait Mr Dunne
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I find it hard to characterise a commitment to build eight complex warships on the Clyde as a betrayal. That is what we did in the SDSR and it has not changed.

Peter Grant Portrait Peter Grant (Glenrothes) (SNP)
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Nicola Sturgeon, the First Minister, has today written to the Prime Minister saying:

“The BAE yards on the Clyde require a cast iron commitment from your government that you will deliver the contract as promised, with the full scale up of the workforce without any risk to employment at the yards.”

Will the Minister recommend that the Government reply positively to that request?

Philip Dunne Portrait Mr Dunne
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I am sorry to have to say to the hon. Gentleman that the risk to employment on the Clyde would have arisen if the people of Scotland had followed his advice and chosen to vote for an independent Scotland. Thankfully, they did not, and as a result hundreds of people are still working in shipbuilding on the Clyde.