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Warship deal to secure Scots jobs Warship deal to secure Scots jobs
(about 23 hours later)
The government is poised to give the go-ahead for the building of two aircraft carriers which ministers say will secure thousands of Scottish jobs. The government is poised to give the go-ahead for the building of two aircraft carriers which could secure thousands of Scottish jobs.
The £3bn order is set to cause a political row, coming just weeks before the Holyrood elections. Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram insisted news of the £3bn order was not designed to grab headlines, just weeks before the Scottish elections on 3 May.
The warships will be built in sections at a number of yards throughout the UK including BAE's Govan facility on the Clyde with final assembly at Rosyth. The ships will be built at several UK yards, including BAE's Govan facility on the Clyde.
Final assembly is expected to take place at the Rosyth yard in Fife.
Ministers hope to be able to make the announcement within the next week.Ministers hope to be able to make the announcement within the next week.
At 65,000 tons each, the two aircraft carriers will be the largest warships ever constructed in the UK. At 65,000 tonnes each, the two aircraft carriers will be the largest warships ever constructed in the UK, with the orders tied to increased consolidation within the defence industry.
The orders are tied to increased consolidation within the defence industry. 'Right time'
Speaking at Edinburgh Castle, Mr Ingram said: "What we are doing in the MoD is doing what is right for the armed forces.
"I can say this - we will not do something to grab a headline for election purposes, that would be the wrong way to look after our armed forces.
"What we will do is what is right at the right time in terms of value for money, but it is well known that in terms of shipbuilding, and we have already announced this, Scotland will benefit greatly from those two carriers when a decision is made."
SNP's deputy leader Nicola Sturgeon welcomed the order. However, she criticised the timing of the announcement.
She said: "The government are clearly desperate to announce these orders now, which shows how panicked they are by the SNP, and illustrates the influence the SNP have in protecting and promoting Scotland's interests."