British defence cuts and the emergency-procurement cycle

How would a British government make defence cuts if the Navy could not sensibly be reduced?

Past governments often cut until a crisis, then announce emergency procurement that cannot instantly overcome full yards, labour limits, or lost capacity.

British governments have repeatedly reduced defence until a crisis triggered urgent procurement. A wartime example is the pause in capital-ship and carrier construction in the name of prioritising escorts. Escort yards were already full, so the decision could not immediately order more ships or accelerate those under construction. Moving labour between specialised yards would itself cost time, which shows how procurement announcements can outrun industrial capacity.