Government admits FSS vessels are warships

There's now no excuse not to build them in the UK

GMB, the shipbuilding union, says now Ministers have admitted the Fleet Solid Support (FSS) vessels are warships there is no excuse not to build them in the UK.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told the Commons today “I intend to announce the procurement timetable for these warships in due course, after market testing has completed.” 

Previously the Government’s has claimed the FSS ships were not military ships, meaning they were bound by normal EU rules on competitive tendering.

GMB pointed out last year, France announced its decision to build four similar logistics ships in France with no international tender. 

GMB has long campaigned for the £1billion FSS contract to be given to UK shipyards – producing a ground-breaking report highlighting the estimated 6,700 jobs created or secured if the orders were kept in the UK. 

Ross Murdoch, GMB National Officer and CSEU Chair, said:

"It looks like the Government has finally acknowledged what GMB has always said - these are warships.

"There is no reason to now hide behind any treaty - they must be built in UK."