REDUCED capacity, budget “black holes” and the impact of Brexit – MPs from across the political spectrum raised serious concerns about UK defence yesterday.
Members of parliament urged the UK Government to take “urgent” action on a range of issues during a debate in Westminster Hall.
The session, called by Tory Marcus Fysh on the Government’s review of defence capability, came one day after it emerged that Type 31e frigates will not be manufactured on the Clyde.
BAE Systems, which operates two Glasgow yards, has entered into a deal with Merseyside operator Cammell Laird to bid for the contract in the new year and says current orders will stretch over years. However, unions said Scottish staff had been betrayed after claims that a No vote in 2014 would lead to lucrative contracts and the SNP’s Stewart McDonald called the news a “slap in the face”.
Yesterday he urged the UK Government to carry out a new Strategic Defence and Security Review and publish the results before Christmas. The last such report was revealed two years ago covering the armed forces’ capabilities and potential threats. MPs said new information is needed in the light of Brexit.
Fysh, who represents Yeovil, called for cash from the international development budget to be invested in defence, while Dunfermline and West Fife MP Douglas Chapman accused the government of having failed to “effectively manage the defence budget”, leaving multi-billion pound “black holes” in its strategies on assets and equipment.
Meanwhile, Luke Pollard, who represents Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport, raised concerns that repeated cuts had eroded defence capabilities.
The comments came ahead of a visit by Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon to BAE Systems’ Scotstoun yard today, as well as the Ferguson yard in Port Glasgow. He said: “With our cutting-edge Type 26 frigates already being built on the Clyde, I know Scottish skilled engineers will relish the chance to compete to build a brand-new class of warships for the growing Royal Navy.”
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