'Shared carriers' spark shipbuilding fears

Published on Tuesday 31 August 2010 14:58

SNP politicians are seeking assurances about 4,000 Scottish shipbuilding jobs after it emerged that defence chiefs are looking at plans to share the use of aircraft carriers with France.

Prime Minister David Cameron and his French counterpart, Nicolas Sarkozy, are expected to discuss pooling naval carriers at a summit in November.

The move would be a far cry from the violent quarrels and wars that have characterised the relationship between the two maritime nations throughout history.

Just over 200 years since the Battle of Trafalgar, the proposal was yesterday said to be one of the items "on the table" when Mr Cameron and Mr Sarkozy meet.

Yesterday it was reported that the new arrangement would mean that one of three ships - one French and two British - would always be patrolling the sea. At present, there are times when both ageing British vessels, HMS Ark Royal and HMS Illustrious, are in dock.

But the prospect of a new spirit of entente cordiale in relation to aircraft carriers was greeted with concern by Scottish politicians.

News of the plan comes in the midst of a strategic defence review, which is considering the future of the two replacement carriers being built on the Clyde and at Rosyth at a total cost of 5 billion.

Pooling aircraft carriers with France could lessen the need for the new carriers.

Angus Robertson, the SNP's Westminster defence spokesman, said: "Thousands of jobs depend upon these contracts and we must have absolute clarity from the Ministry of Defence about what is being considered.

"Under the last government, shipyard workers endured years of indecision over these contracts, and now we have more uncertainty from the coalition.

"Scotland is already bearing the brunt of defence cuts, with the MoD's own figures showing that 5.6 billion less has been spent on defence in Scotland than has been contributed by taxpayers, and that more than 10,000 defence jobs have been lost in Scotland since the last strategic review.

"Scotland's shipyards deserve answers over the future of these contracts, and UK ministers must end the uncertainty."

A French defence official said discussions were still in their early stages.

A spokeswoman for the MoD said that suggestions that the new partnership would come to fruition was "just speculation".

But she added: "We are in the middle of a strategic defence review and all options are on the table."This is a further option that's being considered as part of the review, but it is not a definite one."

The MoD spokeswoman added that it "would seem an unlikely decision" to axe the replacement carriers.

The French official acknowledged that the countries' common strategic interests and near-catastrophic budget situations were driving them to work closer together.

Leaders of both countries have emphasised that co-operation will be key during the financial crisis.

In a recent speech to foreign ambassadors, Mr Sarkozy said that France was "ready to engage on serious projects".

He said: "I've heard statements from our British allies about bilateral co-operation with France. We'll speak with them, setting aside taboos, and we'll take important decisions during the next Franco-British summit in November."

Liam Fox, the Defence Secretary, is expected in France on Friday.