Britain blocks foreign bidders from Faslane submarine dock project

The UK will bar foreign companies from bidding for contracts to build three new floating docks at the country’s nuclear submarine base at Faslane in Scotland, Defence Secretary John Healey is expected to announce, The Telegraph reports.

The docks will provide maintenance, repair and upgrade facilities for Britain’s four-strong Vanguard-class submarine fleet, which carries the country’s nuclear deterrent. They are also expected to support the Dreadnought-class submarines that are due to replace the Vanguard vessels from the early 2030s.

Healey will use his speech to Labour’s annual conference to set out plans for what he describes as “a new age of industrialisation,” driven by defence investment and projects aimed at strengthening Britain’s domestic industrial capacity.

The decision to exclude foreign bidders comes amid growing scrutiny over the awarding of UK defence contracts to overseas suppliers. Last week, The Telegraph reported that more than £30 billion worth of British defence contracts had been awarded to foreign suppliers over the past five years.

Industry figures have described the practice as “Brit-washing” and called for tighter rules and greater transparency over the use of taxpayers’ money.

Healey said the Faslane project would support British industry and employment.

“Britain has a proud shipbuilding heritage, and every pound of this strategic investment in a critical sector is backing British jobs on the Clyde and businesses across the UK, supporting growth in every postcode,” he said.

“By backing British shipyards, we are not only boosting national security but also securing resilience in the industries that will drive growth today while building the capabilities the country needs for the future.”

Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said the project demonstrated how defence spending could contribute to the revival of Britain’s industrial base.

“Defence spending should make Britain stronger in every sense. That means backing British by buying British wherever our industry can deliver,” he said.

The exclusion of foreign bidders comes amid wider concerns over the use of Chinese-made components in British military equipment. Earlier this summer, the Special Boat Service reportedly banned Chinese-made electric vehicles from its headquarters over concerns that they could be used for espionage.

Healey is also facing pressure to outline plans for a substantial increase in defence spending at next month’s Budget. He previously resigned as defence secretary over the government’s failure to commit to raising military spending to 3% of GDP, although he has repeatedly declined to make the same commitment since moving to the Treasury.

The government also needs to identify an additional £4.7 billion to fully fund its defence investment plan, which was left partially financed by Healey’s predecessor, Rachel Reeves.

Ahead of his conference speech, Healey pledged at least £115 million for a new marine research vessel intended to help protect UK waters. The vessel will be built at a British shipyard and enter service in the 2030s, conducting research into the condition of waters around the UK and supporting efforts to ensure sustainable fishing.

In his conference speech, Healey is expected to say: “My politics were shaped by the industrial heartlands of South Yorkshire. Our coal mines are not coming back. But this is how Britain’s industrial past is being remade now for the modern world. This is the new age of industrialisation.”

By Vafa Guliyeva