Fleet Solid Support decision is short-sighted in the extreme

The Government has announced that the contract to build several new supply warships, Fleet Solid Support ships (FSS) has been awarded to Team Resolute.

The Team Resolute bid includes some work for the UK at Harland and Wolff in Belfast and Appledore but the bulk of the work, as much as 80% by some estimates, will go overseas. This includes most of the higher value work as well as the design and therefore intellectual property rights.

By contrast the Team UK bid would have done most of the work in the UK and retained the intellectual property rights.

Mike Clancy, General Secretary of Prospect, said:

“This is a terrible, short sighted decision.

“By not giving this contract to Team UK it is huge missed opportunity to support the whole of UK shipbuilding and build domestic defence capability for the future

“At a time when the economy is struggling it is short-sighted in the extreme to go with a bid that takes most of the high value work and intellectual property overseas. Spain will be delighted with the government’s approach to levelling up.

“It is now essential that the government does all it can to maximise the small amount of work going to UK yards. And it must commit to taking better account of the benefits we can derive from spending money here instead of bolstering industry abroad.”