West of England mayor urges Government to guarantee Rolls-Royce contract

19 October 2023 , 09:57

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The company has not given details of where jobs will be lost. (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

The Government is being urged to guarantee its commitment to contracts with Rolls-Royce after the engineering giant announced plans to cut thousands of jobs.

West of England Mayor Dan Norris has written to Defence Secretary Grant Shapps asking him to confirm the Government will see through the Tempest and Eurofighter Typhoon contracts.

Some of Rolls-Royce's 3,400-strong workforce in Bristol are carrying out tests on the UK's next-generation supersonic stealth combat aircraft, Tempest.

Others at the Filton site are providing maintenance support for the EJ200 engine as the Typhoon continues to form the backbone of the RAF's fighter jet fleet, Mr Norris said.

He wrote: "Following a call with Rolls-Royce, I gather that the security of the workforce at Bristol depends in part on the Government's commitment to continuing with these contracts and not ending or curtailing them."

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"Therefore, I am calling on you and your department to guarantee the Government's spending commitment to the Tempest and Eurofighter Typhoon contracts which will help to save Great British jobs in my region."

Mr Norris spoke to Rolls-Royce on Wednesday after the company said it plans to axe up to 2,500 jobs globally. He said: "The news from Rolls-Royce is deeply concerning for the 3,400 West of England-based staff."

"I urge them to avoid compulsory redundancies at all costs and to focus on excellence over short-term savings."

"We are known as a key base for world-class engineering and the company has a big economic and social impact on the greater Bristol region."

Rolls-Royce said the redundancies are needed to create a "more efficient and effective" company.

It has not given details of where jobs will be lost.

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Steve Charnock