Gosport MP Caroline Dinenage yesterday stood up for local communities which have provided vital support to the Armed Forces historically.
During a Westminster Hall Debate on Royal Navy Ships, Caroline highlighted the impact that closures at Portsmouth shipyard will have on communities in her constituency and across Portsmouth. She expressed particular concern about the strategic gap between the completion of re-fit work on the Type 23 frigates and the commencement of work for the Type 45 destroyers. She called on the Minister responding, Philip Dunne MP, to mitigate against the potential of further job losses caused by this break in work.
Caroline also addressed the huge cost of the groundbreaking new Type 45 destroyers and urged the Minister to ensure that future global combat ships are more affordable and exportable, ensuring that our Navy is quantitatively strong.
Speaking after the debate, Caroline said:
"The Royal Navy plays a huge part in Britain's history and continues to have a vital role today, not just in defence, but also in protecting trade routes and transporting aid to areas affected by humanitarian disaster. We must ensure that it is large enough and strong enough to provide these services.
Here in Gosport, our ties to the Armed Forces and the Royal Navy in particular, are inextricable. Not only are we experiencing the pressures of this close relationship with the termination of shipbuilding at BAE, but also with the vast amount of redundant military land that has yet to be released by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation."
Since the announcement that shipbuilding in Portsmouth will cease next year, Caroline has held meetings with BAE bosses, trade union representatives and Government Ministers. She continues to call on her Ministerial colleagues to do more to support Gosport's military community. Last month, she welcomed Defence Minister, Anna Soubry MP, to Gosport to highlight the development potential of former military sites.