Rosyth gets assurance on 'supercarriers'

Published on Thursday 31 January 2008 09:22

PRIME Minister Gordon Brown has said the building of two Royal Navy aircraft carriers at Rosyth Dockyards is still going ahead, but has refused to commit to a timescale.

Recent reports suggested there may be delays in the 3.9 billion project to assemble the "supercarriers" at Rosyth.

In the House of Commons yesterday, Dunfermline and West Fife MP Willie Rennie asked why the contracts for the job had still not been signed, even though the Defence Secretary announced the go-ahead last July.

Mr Brown replied that the Government was still committed to assembling the ships at the Fife yard, although he would not be drawn on when work will start.

He said: "We are in the process of agreeing on contracts to go ahead with them, and I assure him (Mr Rennie] that it is our intention to go ahead with these contracts."

Dockyard and union chiefs have raised fears that any delays – reported to be up to 18 months – will result in job losses.