News story

Carmichael - Clyde announcement is the 'best available news'

Scottish Secretary comments on Clyde shipyards announcement.

• From: Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland and The Rt Hon Alistair Carmichael MP
• Published: 6 November 2013

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Royal Navy River Class offshore patrol vessels HMS Tyne, HMS Severn and HMS Mersey (library image) [Picture: Leading Airman (Photographer) Al Macleod, Crown copyright]

Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael has described today’s announcement on the Clyde shipyards as ‘the best available news’.

Mr Carmichael said that the size of the workforce was always going to reduce after the peak of the aircraft carrier work but that he still understood how difficult it was for those families facing the prospect of job losses.

Commenting on the announcement Mr Carmichael said:

The announcement today was the best available news. The size of the Clyde workforce was always going to peak with the aircraft carrier work. By providing new MoD orders for the Clyde in the gap before the Type 26 frigate work begins we are putting the yards on a sustainable footing. We are also ensuring that the skills of the workforce are retained.

I fully understand however that it is still a very difficult time for the families of those workers who face the possibility of losing their job.

It is a tribute to all of those in Govan and Scotstoun that the commercial decision has been made to make the Clyde the home of British naval shipbuilding.

Today’s news confirms there is a clear and defined future for workers on the Clyde. I welcome that assurance. It is important that we keep the world-class skills we have built up in Scottish shipbuilding over many decades and this decision means the yards can now plan for a productive future within the UK.

Published 6 November 2013