Committees

Industry experts questioned on Navy and naval procurement

28 June 2021

The Defence Committee explores whether naval procurement and support plans are delivering the capabilities the Navy needs. 

Witnesses

Tuesday 29 June 2021, virtual meeting

At 2.30pm

Panel 1

  • Sir John Parker, Independent Reviewer of the National Shipbuilding Strategy (2019)
  • Ian Waddell, General Secretary, Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions (CSEU)

Panel 2

  • David Lockwood, CEO, Babcock International Group
  • Glynn Phillips, Group Managing Director Maritime and Land UK, BAE Systems
  • Sam McBriar, Director of Strategic Marketing for Maritime, Thales UK

The Committee hears from two panels of witnesses, including the Independent Reviewer of the National Shipbuilding Strategy as well as shipbuilding unions and BAE, Babcock and Thales. The questions are likely to cover the state of the UK’s shipbuilding industry and National Shipbuilding Strategy, as well as the witnesses’ experiences managing some of the UK’s most important defence projects.

Sir John Parker has a wealth of leadership and boardroom experience in industry ranging from shipbuilding and mining, to utilities, aerospace and central banking. Sir John completed a study of the UK Naval Shipbuilding Strategy for the Ministry of Defence in 2016, and in 2019 he reviewed the progress made in implementing the strategy.

Ian Waddell was elected as General Secretary of the CSEU in October 2017 after a 20-year career as a full-time officer with Unite and its predecessor unions. The CSEU represents union members working in aerospace, defence, engineering, rail, steel-making, shipbuilding and ship repair and has four major affiliates – Unite, GMB, Community and Prospect.

David Lockwood was appointed as CEO of Babcock International in September 2020 after senior roles in Cobham, BAE and Thales. Babcock are responsible for the delivery of several major programs to the Navy, including the Type 31 frigate.

Glynn Phillips leads BAE’s Maritime and Land UK sector after multiple senior leadership roles in the company. BAE is one of the world’s largest defence companies. Their work with the Royal Navy includes the Type 26 frigate, Type 45 destroyers’ Power Improvement Project and the Astute and Dreadnought class submarines.

Sam McBriar is responsible for Thales UK’s maritime business, including Maritime Autonomy and Digitisation. Thales UK provides the Royal Navy with sonar, radar and other sensing systems, as well as future technologies including the Maritime Mine Counter Measures (MMCM) programme.

Further information

Image: © Crown Copyright 2014/OGL (Open Government License)