Nick Booth, head of Harrison Drury’s manufacturing and engineering team, comments on the Trident nuclear deterrent vote and what it means for Barrow’s shipyards.
The House of Commons has backed the renewal of the UK’s Trident nuclear weapons system by 472 votes to 117.
The estimated cost of the replacement is around £31 billion. The submarines are built at the BAE plant in Barrow, Cumbria, which currently employs around 7,000 people. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the MP for Barrow voted in favour of the replacement submarines stating that it will “protect thousands of jobs across the country.”
However, other MPs were less supportive. Despite the fleet being based at HMNB Clyde, Faslane, all MPs for Scottish constituencies, except Scottish Secretary David Mundell, voted against the renewal.
Despite being a divisive issue, there is hope that the renewal will be an effective growth generator for local businesses in the manufacturing and engineering sector. As well as benefitting Barrow, other businesses in the supply chain and surrounding area are likely to benefit from the renewal.
Nick states: “Although opinion is split over whether the UK should have renewed the Trident nuclear weapons system, the decision to do so will have a positive impact on the manufacturing and engineering sector and ancillary business.
A complex programme of this nature inevitably requires businesses in the supply chain to be operationally efficient and commercially focused. It is therefore important to ensure businesses have professional advisers on hand to assist.”
Nick Booth is head of Harrison Drury’s specialist manufacturing and engineering team which advises businesses on a wide range of legal issues. For more information, feel free to contact Nick on 01772 258321 or nick.booth@harrison-drury.com.
Harrison Drury have offices all throughout Lancashire with solicitors in Lancaster, Kendal, Garstang, Clitheroe and at our head office in Preston.
Questions & Answers