More job loss fear for UK defence
Ian Godden, Chairman, ADS, has voiced concern that the UK defence industry may face more job losses.
The trade organisation, ADS, has voiced concern that the UK defence industry may be set for further job losses based on the track record of cutbacks in defence spending.
ADS has already warned that there is the potential for a further 30,000 job losses in the defence sector, which supports more than 300,000 jobs and was worth over £23 billion in 2010. Around £9.5 billion of that came from exports last year.
They say that the UK is number one in Europe and second only to the US in the global defence exports market with a 22 per cent market share.
Ian Godden, Chairman of ADS, said, "It is becoming increasingly clear that the historic and current cuts to defence spending, which have been halved over 20 years from 10 per cent to 5 per cent, are beginning to take effect.
"The 10 per cent cut in Government spending on defence is already affecting an industry that supports 300,000 jobs. These jobs are not focused in just one area, but are spread across the whole of the UK, frequently in areas where deprivation is already above the national average.
"Rebalancing the economy towards high technology and advanced manufacturing with strong exports and support for SMES is a Government priority. We are heading in the wrong direction (with) defence - an industry which is 10 per cent of the UK's manufacturing and engineering base, and is a world leading export-led industry with 3,000 SMEs - more than France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Norway together.”
ADS has called for any future potential cuts to be addressed before further impact is felt on the Armed Forces on the front line or the manufacturing and engineering base is put under further strain.
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