ANDY Burnham, the Prime Minister, is to announce an £8.4 billion investment in nuclear submarines which will support 22,000 apprenticeships by 2035,, and is promised to filter through to the Scottish economy.

He will make the announcement when visiting Barrow-in-Furness on Thursday, and say that the programme is intended to support jobs in the UK supply chain, alongside a new apprenticeship scheme in the northwest which will mimic the model set up by BAE Systems in the area.

This builds on the pledge made earlier in the week introducing measures to build technical skills.

The Prime Minister is expected to say that the region of northwest England is a study for rolling out government project with long-term opportunities for the rest of the UK.Submarine operations are supported on the Clyde as well as in Portsmouth.

This announcement, as the Prime Minister visits the site to see how the investment is changing the area around Barrow, will begin the fourth phase of the UK Dreadnought Class submarine programme.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: “Keeping this country safe is the first responsibility of any government – but security is not only about what we build, it is about who builds it, and who benefits from it.

“The submarines produced in Barrow will protect Britain for decades to come, and the 47,000 jobs and apprenticeships will change lives both in this town and in dozens of places like it.

“British money, spent on British workers, British firms and British skills, in the places that were written off for forty years. To every young person across the country, I want you to know that there is a path for you into a reindustrialised Britain, and it starts with the apprenticeships we are funding through this investment today.”

Secretary of State for Scotland Douglas Alexander said: “This investment shows the best of Britain – working together to defend the country. Built in Barrow, the nuclear submarine will be part of the crucial defence assets based in Scotland – making Britain safer at home, stronger abroad and deliver a defence dividend for Scottish communities.

“This latest investment supports the £15.1 billion transformation of Faslane, announced as part of the Defence Investment Plan, into a modern, more efficient base, future-proofed for war fighting. RAF Lossiemouth is also being back by a £240 million investment to keep aircraft at the base mission ready.

“This is the UK Government funding all parts of the country to help keep Britain safe at home and strong against global threats.”

The new HMS Dreadnought is expected to enter service with the Royal Navy in the early 2030s

This announcement is part of the government’s delivery of the Strategic Defence Review.

UK’s Defence Nuclear Enterprise is said to currently supports around 47,000 British jobs – forecast to rise to 65,000 by 2030.