Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that the five new warships to be built on the Clyde are not subject to delay.

The Type 26 Batch 2 contract is structured to motivate both the Ministry of Defence and BAE Systems to deliver a successful outcome, with both parties sharing in the pain and gain in delivering the programme, ensuring value for public money and protecting the taxpayers from any project overrun costs.

The Batch 2 contract introduces further investment in BAE Systems' shipbuilding facilities on the Clyde, as demonstrated by the submission of planning application for a new Shipbuilding Hall at Govan, which will allow two frigates to be built under cover simultaneously and enable the ships to be built faster, improving the efficiency in the programme and expanding the facilities for future work at the yard.