THE GOVERNMENT has been accused of shunning British workers after it was revealed the Royal Navy's new £8 billion warships are using 65 per cent of Swedish steel.

Union bosses have told the Mirror that British materials could have been used in the eight new Type 26 frigates if UK plants were properly briefed.

2 The latest design for a Type 26 Global Combat Ship Credit: PA:Press Association

But it has emerged that up to two thirds of the metal for the multi-billion pound order - the biggest Royal Navy deal after the Trident nuclear subs - will be bought from Sweden.

The decision to source the material from overseas will come as a blow to the British steel industry, which is struggling to recover following a crisis that ravaged the sector and cost thousands of jobs.

It was revealed in a series of written Commons answers, by Defence Minister Harriet Baldwin.

She said: “Around 4,000 tonnes of steel will be required to build each Type 26 Frigate. Steel will be sourced principally from the UK and Sweden.”

But in a second answer, she admitted: “We expect around 35 per cent of steel for each ship will be sourced from UK suppliers in Scotland and Scunthorpe; approximately 1,400 tonnes per ship.

“For some grades of plate steel needed for the Type 26 Frigates the combination of thickness, size and flatness specifications means that the steel cannot be sourced in its entirety in the UK.”

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The government has now been slammed by union bosses for its decision to use foreign steel instead of helping UK workers.

Community steelworkers’ union boss Roy Rickhuss said: “British steel is some of the best in the world, and our Government should be using this project to help British steelworkers.

“It’s not good enough for the Government to say we can’t make the right sort of steel. If we had a proper industrial strategy our steelworks would be equipped to meet the challenges.

“Steelworkers have made big sacrifices over the past few years; it’s now time for the Government to bring forward a strategy for steel that supports our industry and our steel communities.”

2 The plans were revealed in written Commons answers by Defence Minister Harriet Baldwin Credit: PA:Press Association

Lib Dem leader Tim Farron, who uncovered the Government’s latest shame, with parliamentary questions, said: “Last year, the Government talked a lot about helping Port Talbot in South Wales.

“To great fanfare it announced UK steel would be used on big projects. This has been shown not to be true. It is the latest betrayal of workers, families and communities.”

Shipbuilder BAE Systems said Yorkshire-based Dent Steel UK has been selected to source steel for the first three ships.

They added: "Approximately 50 per cent of the value of steel will be British, equating to around 35 per cent of the overall weight.”

So far the Government has committed a total of £4.7bn to the Type 26 programme – which is expected to last until 2035.

The first Type 26 is expected to be delivered in 2020.