MP 'secures assurances' on Appledore Shipyard

Torridge and Tavistock MP Sir Geoffrey Cox, Member of Parliament last week met with the Minister of State for Business and Trade, Sarah Jones MP, to seek reassurances that the new Government will continue supporting Appledore Shipyard.

The previous government had created an initial work stream for Appledore Shipyard with the £55million refit of a Royal Navy Minehunter, then awarded Harland & Wolff (H&W) a £1.6 billion contract for the construction of the Fleet Solid Support Ships.

Labour has now decided not to provide a loan guarantee to Harland and Woolff, needed to provide working capital for investment and expand its operation to carry out the defence contracts.

The last Government was still in discussion about the loan guarantee and had not made a decision at the time of the general election, although it was strongly supported by the then Secretaries of State for Business, Kemi Badenoch, and for Northern Ireland, Chris Heaton Harris.

Torridge and Tavistock’s MP, Sir Geoffrey Cox KC, who met the minister today, described the decision as regrettable but said he had received the assurances he had sought and that he was content for now to take them at face value.

Sir Geoffrey Cox said: “The Minister told me she was confident Appledore Shipyard would remain open and would be able to carry out the construction of the Fleet Solid Support Vessels, which represents many years of work for hundreds of local people and exciting opportunities for dozens of local apprentices.

“I have no reason to disbelieve the assurances I have been given, but I shall be holding the new Labour Government to account for its promises in this regard and for the continuation of the many other investments scheduled for Torridge and Tavistock under the Conservative Government.”