Nuclear submarine investment to support 47,000 jobs and apprenticeships

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced that ongoing investment in nuclear submarines will support 47,000 jobs and apprenticeships across the UK.

The Dreadnought-class submarine project, being built in Barrow-in-Furness, will receive £8.4bn to support progress towards getting the new vessels ready for service. Speaking ahead of a visit to the site, Burnham said: "Security is not only about what we build, it is about who builds it, and who benefits from it."

The four new Dreadnought-class submarines will replace the existing Vanguard-class vessels, which have been in operation since 1992. The Vanguards are due to be retired in the 2030s, with the Dreadnoughts entering service at the same time.

The announcement marks the start of the fourth phase of a project first announced in 2006 and formally approved by MPs in 2016. The spending was already planned and included in the Defence Investment Plan published in the final days of Sir Keir Starmer's government.

Gilbert