TRADE union GMB are demanding answers from the UK Government over speculation that one of the Rosyth aircraft carriers could be mothballed.

A national newspaper report has suggested that the Royal Navy are facing a £500 million budget shortfall and that, in order to plug the gap, one of the carriers being assembled at Rosyth could be scrapped.

The two Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales, are the largest warships ever made and are being delivered by the Aircraft Carrier Alliance.

Work on the carriers is due to end in 2022 with the completion of HMS Prince of Wales and, as part of the Aircraft Carrier Alliance, Rosyth and other yards across the UK have commitments to maintain the vessels throughout their lifetime.

A recent report commissioned by GMB Scotland into Scotland's defence industry estimated that Rosyth supports over 3,800 jobs and generates more than £105 million in wages for the economy, and they are writing to MP David Mundell, Secretary of State for Scotland, warning of the economic and employment impact on Rosyth if reports prove accurate.

Gary Cook, GMB Scotland organiser, said: "The mere suggestion that one of the aircraft carriers could be mothballed by the MOD will set alarm bells ringing among our members and particularly in Rosyth.

"A large chunk of the future prosperity of these yards are invested in the maintenance and routine refitting work associated with Royal Navy vessels and potentially cutting this work by 50 per cent would have serious consequences for jobs.

"GMB is also campaigning to bring the manufacture of three Royal Fleet Auxiliary support vessels to yards across the UK and any impact on the future of QE class carriers would also call into question the future outlook for these orders too.

"Less than two months since the Parker Report spelled out the massive economic and employment opportunities for shipbuilding in the UK, it’s deeply worrying that the MOD is flirting with proposals that could harm our shipbuilding communities.

"Such short-sightedness would be bad news for Rosyth, bad news for Scotland and bad news for the future of UK shipbuilding and we are calling on the UK Government to provide urgent clarification on these reports."

In November, it was confirmed that the MoD's Caledonia base was to shut to coincide with the completion of HMS Prince of Wales, a move that MP Douglas Chapman condemned as a "final, historic mistake".