The future of military shipbuilding in Scotland is to be examined by MPs.
An inquiry on the issue has been launched by Westminster’s Scottish Affairs Committee.
It is the latest stage of the committee’s work looking at the military landscape in Scotland.
They will hear from the Scottish Government and local government on March 7, followed by the UK Government on March 21.
MPs will assess the impact of the Government’s shipbuilding strategy and its national shipbuilding office on the industry.
They will also look at how many and what types of Royal Navy ships will be built in Scotland in the years ahead and if the sector will grow.
The extent to which Scotland benefits from exporting military ships (or parts of them), the procurement approach, and whether the UK Government can do more to maintain and foster military shipbuilding in Scotland will also be considered.
Shipbuilding in Scotland currently supports 7000 jobs in Scotland, many of which are highly skilled.
Scottish Affairs Committee chairman, SNP MP Pete Wishart, suggested that the industry’s future success could be “undermined” by UK defence policy.
“In the next phase of our Defence in Scotland inquiry series, we will be considering military shipbuilding and the much-anticipated National Shipbuilding Strategy refresh,” he said.
“The shipbuilding industry in Scotland supports many highly skilled jobs, but its future success could be undermined by UK defence policy.
“During this inquiry, we will look at what challenges changes in defence policy present for the sector, and the potential opportunities which can be opened up for Scottish industry through exports.”
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