Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions his Department has held with Babcock on securing the future of Appledore shipyard.

While the future of Appledore is a matter for Babcock, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has remained closely engaged with the company on this issue. Together with MOD officials, both the Secretary of State for Defence and I have met Babcock to explore potential options. This included bringing forward a potential £60 million package of work at Devonport, thereby providing additional work for Appledore workers. However, our discussions with Babcock established that this work would not be enough to secure the long-term future of the yard.

Regrettably, Babcock has now stated that it has reached a point where it can no longer sustain the cost of its operations at Appledore. This is clearly a concerning time for Appledore employees and their families and, while Babcock will offer all those affected other positions, the Government is standing by to provide any additional support.