GETTY HMS Illustrious was decommissioned in 2014 and sold to Turkish-owned Leyal Ship Recycling

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However, the former flagship – the subject of a campaign to save her for the nation – generated more than £10million in scrap value for the firm. It is the latest of 22 Royal Naval vessels sold to the company, which dismantles vessels at the Aliaga shipyard on Turkey’s north west coast. The list features three aircraft carriers, including the Ark Royal and Invincible, three frigates, eleven destroyers, four tankers and the ice ship Endurance. The sales have resulted in a £220million bonanza for the company since 2008. Ironically, some of the warships were retired as part of financial housekeeping to keep the naval budget down.

Illustrious generated an incredible 11,854 tonnes of ferrous metals worth £5.33 million, 611 tonnes of non-ferrous metals worth £1.6million and 112 tonnes of cable worth £3.9million. While the Ministry of Defence does not discuss commercial sales, senior sources last night revealed most of the ships were sold for less than £1million. Last night a senior naval source said: “These vessels were undervalued at the point of sale. “Contractors need to make a profit, but these ships had a high scrap value and were given away very cheaply. “Efforts are made to sell them overseas, but if that fails they are sold for scrap.

GETTY The HMS Illustrious is the latest of 22 Royal Naval vessels sold to the company

“Sadly legislation in the UK regarding the disposal of hazardous materials prevents most UK companies from bidding. “The buyer clearly makes a good profit on high value scrap.” Warships were once dismantled in the UK. But new hazardous waste legislation effectively prevents British yards from submitting cost-effective bids.

GETTY The Ministry of Defence does not discuss commercial sales

In 2015 Karl Dunn, former managing director of Swansea Drydocks, said British industry was being overlooked in favour of short-term deals. Although SDL won the bid to break up the Cornwall in 2014 it has failed to secure any other MoD contracts. Mr Dunn said: “We can’t compete with cheaper labour costs abroad.” And while British bids might be higher, he claimed additional revenue in terms of employment and taxes would still benefit the Treasury. “For each Type 42 warship we break up we would create jobs for 25 people for a year, pumping money into the local economy and boosting the value of the contract,” he said “At the moment those jobs and money are being lost to Turkey.”

GETTY Greenpeace said Leyal allowed workers to operate without environmental regulations or protection