I would do some things around the edges. You may be aware but the UK keeps a register of militarily useful civilian ships on the British register that runs to quite a few vessels. I would advocate a ‘super list’ for ships that as part of their original design are fitted for but not with weapons and naval equipment that could be useful if the balloon went up.
These would all be civilian vessels and vessels owned by the numerous government agencies that operate vessels up to 80 m or so. Typical features would be strengthened decks for gun mountings large flat decked sterns that could take a helicopter, tankers that are rigged for at sea ship to ship transfers of fuel (Some already have this but the Navy don’t say which ones). Typical vessels that might qualify are oil field service vessels, large trawlers, small offshore RoRo ferries like Calmac operate in Scotland. This lot wouldn’t be perfect but it would at least mean that there might be something to fall back on if needed. It woulnd’t necessarily cost that much either.
The RN should then invest in containerised weapons sytems so that a ship could be converted from a civilian role to something more warlike in the space of a week or so.
In return for this the government would pay a small amount towards the vessels purchase to reflect the modifications and some sort of retainer or tax breaks would be put in place for the inconvenience caused to the owners
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