Andy Burnham is expected to announce £8.4bn for the UK’s next generation of nuclear submarines, saying it will support thousands of jobs and apprenticeships. The investment is intended to prepare Dreadnought-class submarines for service in the 2030s, replacing the Vanguard fleet that carries the UK’s nuclear deterrent.

The programme includes four submarines, beginning with HMS Dreadnought, and uses Rolls-Royce nuclear propulsion systems made in Derby. Of the funding, £5.9bn is allocated to BAE Systems and £2.5bn to the wider supply chain; the broader Defence Nuclear Enterprise supports about 47,000 jobs. The announcement comes amid concern over more than one million 16-to-24-year-olds being outside education, employment and training, and questions over funding higher defence spending.