Exclusive:Faslane floating docks must be built at Scottish yard, UK Government told
Labour MP Richard Baker said the Navantia yard in Methil, Fife should be given a new Ministry of Defence contract to build huge dry docks for the UK’s nuclear submarine fleet.
Floating docks for Faslane promised in the Defence Investment Plan must be built in Scotland, the UK Government has been told.
Labour MP Richard Baker said the Navantia yard in Methil, Fife should be given a new Ministry of Defence (MoD) contract to build huge dry docks for the UK’s nuclear submarine fleet at HMNB Clyde. The initiative is called Programme Euston.
The Defence Investment Plan (DIP), announced on Monday, committed the UK Government to “acquiring three floating docks and infrastructure at Faslane, enabling resilient out-of-water engineering for all submarine classes.”
But it did not specify where these would be built.
Glenrothes and Mid Fife MP Mr Baker has written to Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis about the issue.
He said: "The DIP publication had ‘Backing British’ as its slogan and, in my view, that should be the principle underpinning all defence procurements, not just shipbuilding. Anything else would be a wasted opportunity.
"It is vital the work for Programme Euston is secured for a UK yard to strengthen our domestic defence industry, particularly Methil Yard which I know has the skills, expertise and capability to deliver this contract on budget and on time.
"I welcome the Secretary of Defence’s invitation to discuss this matter further, which I will do to make Methil’s case to take on this vital work for the security of our nation."
Read more: Faslane to receive multi-billion pound upgrade from UK Government's Defence Investment Plan
GMB Scotland has been pushing hard for the Navantia yard in Methil to receive the contract.
Robert Deavy, senior organiser, said Euston was a “once in a generation” opportunity to secure then future of the yards for years to come and urged ministers to commit to a direct award instead of an international procurement process.
He said: “Our political leaders love to talk about creating opportunities for young people but remain stony silent when sending this kind of work abroad to create jobs and apprenticeships everywhere but Scotland.
“We can no longer afford to send contracts abroad based on price alone line while ignoring their huge social and economic value to the UK.
“Allowing this work to be offshored will be a betrayal of our workers and their communities and another nonsensical, self-harming failure of UK procurement policy.
“It is hard to imagine another country in the world being so willing to send such work abroad. It is beyond time our Ministry of Defence started defending our workers and their communities.”
Spanish state-owned shipbuilder Navantia completed the takeover of Harland and Wolff in January last year.
The deal covered the four H&W yards in Belfast, Appledore in Devon, Methil and Arnish in Stornoway.
It secured the future of 350 jobs in Scotland, and 1,000 UK jobs in total. The deal was backed by the UK Government.
The Belfast-based Harland and Wolff had gone into administration in September 2024.
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: “Through the Defence Investment Plan we will deliver a multi-decade, multi-billion-pound infrastructure programme to transform HMNB Clyde, improving working conditions and ensuring readiness for Dreadnought and SSN-A submarines.
"Programme Euston’s will create a significant pipeline of jobs for businesses in Western Scotland for decades to come.
“Infrastructure work within the Clyde naval base must be done with British companies. Details on plans for the delivery of the dock and shoreside elements will be finalised as soon as possible.
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