Yards reassured over Clyde future

A delegation of Glasgow MPs and trade unionists say they are ''very encouraged'' following talks in Westminster over the long term future of the Clyde shipyards.

Supporters of the yards met Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon and Scottish Secretary John Reid.

They said they had been reassured that there would be no delay in placing Ministry of Defence contracts.

However, they received no guarantees there would be work in the pipeline to plug gaps in shipyard order books.

The meeting comes less than a week after the BAe Systems yard at Govan was handed a £150m order to build two amphibious landing craft.

MPs and unions had become worried that delays might leave Govan with no work after the existing order is completed and before work on the Type 45 destroyers comes on stream in 2002.

There was also concern that Govan was missing out on design work for the new contract.

They had sought the placement of a contract for a floating platform to make sure the yard had enough work to tide it over.

Ferries miss

The group has also held a separate meeting in the House of Commons with BAe Systems, the owners of Govan and Scotstoun yards.

The contract to build two amphibious ALSLs - Alternative Landing Ships Logistic - was intended to safeguard more than 800 jobs at the Clydeside yard and about 200 more off-site.

It was given to Govan after the yard missed out on a contract to build six roll-on roll-off ferries for the MoD.

The contract for the ferries was split, with two being built by Harland and Wolff in Belfast, and the other four being built in Germany.