Securing Scotland’s Future: Defence Skills and Jobs

Richard Baker Excerpts

Monday 26th October 2026 Commons Chamber

[Patricia Ferguson]

I thank the Chair of the Liaison Committee for that question. She is right to say that it should be revisited. I suspect that we will revisit a number of aspects of our report. Of course, we look forward to the Government’s response to the report, but as we go forward during the rest of this Parliament I think we will come back to a number of points.

[Richard Baker (Glenrothes and Mid Fife) (Lab)]

Today, the Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry visited the Methil yard in my constituency, which has already doubled its number of apprentices, and with the prospect of Programme Euston and new dry docks for Faslane being built at the yard, there could be hundreds more. Does my hon. Friend agree that the recommendations about apprenticeships show the need for apprentice availabilities to be increased at pace for the opportunities that lie ahead for Scottish yards?

[Patricia Ferguson]

I thank my hon. Friend for that question. I was pleased to see that the visit went so well. It is encouraging to see such new opportunities. He makes the point, which we tried to make in our report, that there are great opportunities here, but it is up to everyone in Scotland—Governments, local authorities and manufacturers alike—to grasp them and make a success of them for our communities.