FURTHER investment will be pumped into Barrow's shipyard in the future by Australia, the Government has said.

Under the Aukus agreement between the US, UK and Australia, new submarines will be built at the shipyard.

The Government has said the major defence agreement will secure thousands of jobs.

But speaking in the House of Commons, defence minister Alex Chalk said future investment into industrial bases such as the shipyard would be provided by Australia.

It came in a response to a question from Labour's shadow defence secretary, John Healey.

Mr Healey said: "This AUKUS defence partnership has our fullest Labour support.

"The multi-decade agreement deepens security and opportunity between our three countries.

"It strengthens strategic security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.

"It promises not just jobs now, but jobs in the next generation and the one after that.

"It fulfils all our obligations under the non-proliferation treaty.

"I want to see Britain playing the biggest role possible in building these new submarines, with the first AUKUS boat launched as early as possible in Barrow.

Mr Chalk said: "I am pleased to note that, in the last financial year, £2 billion was invested into Barrow-in-Furness and Raynesway, as he will have seen, because I think he has had the opportunity to visit both recently.

"There will be further investment to come, partly as a result of what has been announced recently, and in the years to come, which echoes my point about it having to be sustained and continued.

"He is right, of course, to reference the fact that, in the document that accompanies the announcement, a copy of which I am sure he has seen, the Australians have indicated their agreement to make a proportionate investment in UK infrastructure."