SWAN HUNTER SHIPYARD

That this House would greatly regret the closure of the Swan Hunter Shipyard which would weaken the United Kingdom's capacity for warship building and result in the loss of the United Kingdom's only existing single site, big ship building yard; notes that Swan Hunter is the only United Kingdom yard with proven capability for both new build and refurbished work and its closure would therefore eliminate competitiveness in important sectors of the warship building industry with consequent adverse cost implications for the Ministry of Defence; welcomes the potential collaboration between CMN, the successful French ship yard revitalised by Sandy Safa, and Swan Hunter; observes the complementary skills and expertise within the two yards which could help stimulate a restructuring of the European naval ship building industry over the next 15 years; welcomes the benefits of Swan Hunter and the United Kingdom which could lead to inward investment from France, transfer of technology concerning composite materials unique to CMN to the United Kingdom and a potential net increase in United Kingdom exports; and urges the House to support a future for Swan Hunter as a low risk, competition enhancing, strategic concern.