The Society of Maritime Industries has written to the Prime Minister and members of the National Security Council to remind them of the continuing importance of the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carrier construction programme to the broader UK maritime engineering supply chain.

John Murray, Chief Executive of the Society, said "it is vital the Government understands that the economic aspects go far beyond the shipyards most immediately associated with this huge project."  He added "a highly complex vessel such as an aircraft carrier integrates many hundreds of systems. Over 200 companies located across the whole of the UK are involved in the programme, including an important part of this country's manufacturing capability, with an obvious effect on employment nationally."

SMI represents the whole supply chain in maritime engineering from original design and manufacture to through-life support.  Maintaining and nurturing this capability has given the UK the underpinning technology and credibility in international commercial and defence markets.  SMI claims that on the back of our strong home market in naval shipbuilding the UK maritime industry has become a major exporter of its products and services and more than 50% of the industry's turnover is generated from export sales.

John Murray emphasised that risking such a large part of this country's maritime manufacturing capability would have ramifications for the wider maritime cluster which, on the government's own estimates, generates £46 billion of the UK's GDP and he earnestly hopes that the aircraft carrier programme will proceed as planned for the current and longer term benefit of the United Kingdom's industrial base and the skilled employment it provides.