Sir John Parker has responded to the implementation of the National Shipbuilding Strategy following his report on Naval shipbuilding.
The National Shipbuilding Strategy was the Government’s response to Sir John’s 2016 independent report on naval shipbuilding. The report made 34 recommendations to the government – all of which were accepted by the government.
Sir John has held discussions with officials from the Ministry of Defence and wider government assessing progress in the implementation of the National Shipbuilding Strategy. In the review, he praises the efforts made by Navy Command and Defence Equipment & Support.
He recommends:
- The Client Board should be in line with the NSBS.
- The complex historic approval processes should be simplified.
- The Sponsor Group should clarify and strengthen its role as the hub of the national shipbuilding endeavour.
- The focus on maximising exports and export potential should be maintained.
- Shipbuilding projects should be given an assured and ring-fenced budget when they are released from the approvals process to the Client Board.
- These assured capital budgets should not be subject to annularity once capital has been committed.
- Long-term funding to underpin the 30-year Master Plan should be considered.
- Both MOD and Industry should strengthen their commitment to the Maritime Enterprise Working Group.
- MOD should aim for collaborative contracting models with equitable risk sharing and provision for industry to invest in their global competitiveness plans.
- Head Office should ensure a strategic implementation plan is in place and that it is adequately staffed and resourced to fully implement the NSBS.
- A wider range of ship classes should be procured via UK-only competition.
- Progress on implementation should be reviewed internally in 2021.
The review covers finance, governance and Head Office, the 30-year master plan, industry, and UK vs. international competition. Sir John Parker looks at sales to Australia and Canada as an example of the UK securing opportunities in the international supply chain.
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