Prime Minister Andy Burnham is today announcing a major £8.4 billion investment in the next stage of the UK’s Dreadnought nuclear deterrent submarine build programme. The announcement will be made during a visit to Barrow-in-Furness.
This investment is for Delivery Phase 4 (DP4) of the programme, which will see HMS Dreadnought, the first of four new nuclear deterrent submarines, complete sea trials and prepare to enter service in the early 2030s. The contract also covers HMS Valiant reaching sea trials and the progression of boats three and four through construction.
The Defence Nuclear Enterprise, which includes this programme, currently supports around 47,000 British jobs, with a forecast rise to 65,000 by 2030. This includes 22,000 apprenticeships by 2035 across a supply chain of over 6,000 UK-based companies. Of the £8.4 billion, £5.9 billion will go to BAE Systems and £2.5 billion to the wider supply chain.
During his visit, Prime Minister Burnham is also set to unveil a new apprenticeship scheme. This initiative aims to help young people in the Northwest of England access skilled employment opportunities, specifically by assisting local small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the defence supply chain to recruit and train 30 apprentices over the next three years.
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting stated that the investment "breathes new life into Barrow’s historic traditions and secures our commitment to deliver Dreadnought Class submarines by backing British industry."