John Healey will promise a "new age of industrialisation" for the UK today, using his first Labour conference speech as chancellor to announce British shipbuilding contracts and a revival of workplace training funds.

Speaking in Liverpool, the chancellor plans to confirm that three new floating docks for HM Royal Naval Base Clyde at Faslane will be built entirely in Britain rather than put out to international tender.

The docks, first set out in 2023, are intended to upgrade Faslane's facilities for the next generation of submarines. They form part of a wider £15bn modernisation programme across Royal Navy shipyards and are projected to enter service in the early 2030s.

Healey is also expected to commit £115m towards a new marine research vessel, which is likewise scheduled to enter service in the early 2030s. First Secretary of State Louise Haigh previewed the research vessel on Sunday as part of what she described as a "new era of reindustrialisation".

Ahead of his address, Healey framed the investment around national resilience, saying: "By backing British shipyards, we are not only boosting national security but also securing resilience in the industries that will drive growth today while building the capabilities the country needs for the future."

The decision to keep the dock work in the UK has been welcomed by trade unions. Charlotte Brumpton-Childs, national secretary at the GMB union, called it a "massive boost" for the sector, adding: "For too long juicy contracts have been sent to overseas - often subsidised - yards. This policy could reinvigorate UK yards and the communities that depend on them."

However, critics have dismissed the package as recycled policy, arguing that Labour is "running scared of making the tough choices needed to pay for Britain's defence" and claiming the government is offering "reannounced docks and more hot air".

Beyond heavy industry, the chancellor will allocate £15m from existing government budgets to bring back the Union Learning Fund in England. The union-run programme will be open to non-members as well, offering training in maths, English, digital skills, advanced manufacturing, and workplace adaptation to artificial intelligence.

The announcements arrive against a backdrop of difficult economic data. A Confederation of British Industry survey points to falling activity in retail and services and moderate declines in manufacturing. CBI deputy chief economist Alpesh Paleja noted that rising energy and staffing costs are eating into margins, warning that "the Budget must draw a clear red line under any more rises in the cost of hiring, investing and doing business."

What we will not get today is the detail of next month's Budget. With four weeks to go, Healey is facing conflicting pressures to curb government borrowing costs while meeting calls from figures such as Unite general secretary Sharon Graham to "do something for workers and the working class" in his fiscal plans.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who discussed his reindustrialisation goals with US President Donald Trump last week, is scheduled to deliver his own conference address on Tuesday. I will be tracking the chancellor's speech and what it means for the upcoming Budget — check back for updates.