Devonport Dockyard - discussions about its future

[whole diary]

[Lee]

Devonport Dockyard will close within five years, an anonymous senior naval source has told a national newspaper, in direct opposition to the view of the current naval base commander (link below.)
http://thisisplymouth.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=181429&command=displayContent&sourceNode=229968&home=yes&more_nodeId1=133174&contentPK=19970494

According to the Sunday Times the Royal Navy's submarine work will all move to Faslane in Scotland and five Devonport frigates will be axed in defence cuts expected within weeks, leading to a rapid winding down of navy operations in Plymouth.

While Plymouth has secured submarine work which will last until 2012, the city's expertise in refuelling and refitting nuclear submarines has become irrelevant, says The Times, because the new Astute submarines will have nuclear cores that last for the life of the vessel.

Last year it had been expected one of the three bases, Plymouth, Portsmouth or Rosythe would close. The Government finally decided all three would stay open, but the Times today said senior navy and industry sources claimed that would not happen.

[Lee]

More on this in the links below.
http://thisisplymouth.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=133464&command=displayContent&sourceNode=133158&contentPK=19970494&folderPk=78031&pNodeId=133174

http://thisisplymouth.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=133464&command=displayContent&sourceNode=133158&contentPK=19982719&folderPk=78031&pNodeId=133174

http://thisisplymouth.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=181429&command=displayContent&sourceNode=229968&home=yes&more_nodeId1=133174&contentPK=19985382

[Lee]

Ministers have been challenged at Westminster over the threat to Plymouth's 'economic engine room' (link below.)
http://thisisplymouth.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=133464&command=displayContent&sourceNode=133158&contentPK=19995338&folderPk=78031&pNodeId=133174

[Lee]

Controversial claims that the Westcountry's historic naval base is to close in five years have been dismissed as "ill-informed" and "inaccurate" by the commander of the Plymouth facility and denied by others (links below.)
http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=144125&command=displayContent&sourceNode=232450&contentPK=20008664&folderPk=108202&pNodeId=251466

http://thisisplymouth.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=181429&command=displayContent&sourceNode=229968&home=yes&more_nodeId1=133174&contentPK=20008196

http://thisisplymouth.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=181429&command=displayContent&sourceNode=229968&home=yes&more_nodeId1=133174&contentPK=20008198

[smokey]

I just wonder if Dockyard (Devonport) station would see a minimum service if the Dockyard Closes.

[Chris from Nailsea]

I can't see the whole dockyard being closed down altogether, in this scenario: surely, with all that existing infrastructure, expertise and skilled workforce on site, even if they lose the Royal Navy work, there will still be contracts with foreign navies, commercial shipping companies, etc.?

[Lee]

Interesting piece, with a Plymouth-Portsmouth comparison (link below.)
http://thisisplymouth.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=133464&command=displayContent&sourceNode=133158&contentPK=20029406&folderPk=78031&pNodeId=133174

[BRADNOCK]

The powers that be decided to close the base at Portland Dorset some time ago as being uneconomical Then sold it to private company only to pay the same company for the reuse of the same facility and infrastructure
There seems to be more surface ships as befor  and there is even rumors of some Submarines reusing the port. The moral to this story is that  the MOD/Government have not got a clue and any thing is possible.

[Lee]

Ministers have repeated assurances that there are no plans to close Devonport Naval Base in a debate in the House of Commons (link below.)
http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=181429&command=displayContent&sourceNode=229968&home=yes&more_nodeId1=133174&contentPK=20082262

Speculation that Plymouth could also lose Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST) have also been scotched by the Government.

[Lee]

Warships and submarines will need less maintenance and fewer refits in the future, a defence minister has warned (link below.)
http://thisisplymouth.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=133464&command=displayContent&sourceNode=133158&contentPK=20082262&folderPk=78031&pNodeId=133174

However, Bob Ainsworth told Plymouth MPs^▸ (Member of Parliament) at Westminster that the Ministry of Defence would continue to work with Devonport operator Babcock Marine to provide the contracts needed to maintain the dockyard's 'most valuable skill base'.

The Armed Forces Minister also insisted no decisions had yet been made over moving Navy ships from Devonport, or the other two naval bases at Portsmouth and Rosyth.

Different options were always looked at he said, with many not going beyond initial consideration, but he could give no timetable for a decision to be made.

[Lee]

South Yard at Devonport could be turned into a marine science park, with a new Marine Management Organisation (MMO) at its heart (link below.)
http://thisisplymouth.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=133464&command=displayContent&sourceNode=133158&contentPK=20184298&folderPk=78031&pNodeId=133174

Plymouth is on the short list to be the home of a new government agency to protect and manage the coastal environment.

The agency could bring hundreds of jobs to Plymouth and help to kick-start the council's ambition to make the city the centre of marine excellence.

Setting up a Marine Management Organisation is a key part of the Marine Bill, which is expected to go through Parliament late this year or early next.

Linda Gilroy, the Plymouth Sutton MP^▸ (Member of Parliament), toured Devonport Naval Base with Bob Ainsworth, the Armed Forces Minster, this week.

She said the Ministry of Defence was preparing to sell off large parts of South Yard at Devonport as part of a programme known as Project Roundel.

Earlier Mr Ainsworth said there was a lot of potential for commercial development on the seafront, like yacht-building.

"We need to continue making investments in Devonport, but there are derelict areas.

"We need to be working with Plymouth City Council to release those so they can be put to good use by the rest of the city economy."

The South Yard covers an area of 84 acres. The Navy said this week that no decision had been made on how much of that would be released.

A spokeswoman said the Navy and Babcock Marine would need to retain some parts of it.

[Lee]

The leader of Plymouth City Council has called on the Government to come clean about the future of Devonport Dockyard and the Naval Base (link below.)
http://thisisplymouth.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=181429&command=displayContent&sourceNode=229968&home=yes&more_nodeId1=133174&contentPK=20227214

In a letter to Bob Ainsworth, the Armed Forces Minister, Cllr Vivien Pengelly wrote: "The city needs clarity from the Government on its plans for medium and long term."

Mr Ainsworth has given answers in the House of Commons to questions from Plymouth Sutton MP^▸ (Member of Parliament) Linda Gilroy, and last week he was interviewed by The Herald during a visit to Devonport.

However, Cllr Pengelly has called on him to give 'detailed rather than general responses'.

[Lee]

Plans for Devonport to forge a permanent alliance with other firms and the Ministry of Defence, to carry out the future maintenance and repair of warships, have been delayed (link below.)
http://thisisplymouth.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=133464&command=displayContent&sourceNode=133158&contentPK=20248273&folderPk=78031&pNodeId=133174

Detailed talks on the radical move have been extended for another 12 months, says Defence Secretary Des Browne.

[Lee]

The leader of Plymouth City Council has called on the Government to come clean about the future of Devonport Dockyard and the Naval Base (link below.)
http://thisisplymouth.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=181429&command=displayContent&sourceNode=229968&home=yes&more_nodeId1=133174&contentPK=20227214

In a letter to Bob Ainsworth, the Armed Forces Minister, Cllr Vivien Pengelly wrote: "The city needs clarity from the Government on its plans for medium and long term."

Mr Ainsworth has given answers in the House of Commons to questions from Plymouth Sutton MP^▸ (Member of Parliament) Linda Gilroy, and last week he was interviewed by The Herald during a visit to Devonport.

However, Cllr Pengelly has called on him to give 'detailed rather than general responses'.

Council leader Vivien Pengelly has accused Bob Ainsworth of giving her the brush-off over the future of Devonport Naval Base and Dockyard (link below.)
http://thisisplymouth.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=181429&command=displayContent&sourceNode=229968&home=yes&more_nodeId1=133174&contentPK=20401308

Now Cllr Pengelly has written a second letter to the minister and called on him to meet her face-to-face.

[Lee]

A union leader will today warn politicians not to "play games" with the future of Devonport Dockyard (links below.)
http://thisiscornwall.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=144125&command=displayContent&sourceNode=232510&home=yes&more_nodeId1=232470&contentPK=20428887

http://thisisplymouth.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=133464&command=displayContent&sourceNode=133158&contentPK=20429716&folderPk=78031&pNodeId=133174

http://thisisplymouth.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=181429&command=displayContent&sourceNode=229968&home=yes&more_nodeId1=133174&contentPK=20434336

http://thisisplymouth.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=181429&command=displayContent&sourceNode=229968&home=yes&more_nodeId1=133174&contentPK=20432984

Jack Dromey, deputy general secretary of Unite, will call on all parties to concentrate on ensuring there are enough contracts for Devonport to secure its future, rather than bickering with each other.

A Unite spokesman said Mr Dromey will report publicly on discussions he has had with Defence Secretary Des Browne, confirming that the future of the historic dockyard and naval base is "safe".

Mr Dromey is also expected to accuse Conservatives in Plymouth of trying to stoke up fear about the future of the dockyard in order to make gains in next month's local election.

The Conservatives have said they are simply trying to get answers from the Government about the future of the facility.

Linda Gilroy, Labour MP^▸ (Member of Parliament) for Plymouth Sutton, told the Western Morning News last night that she would be supporting Mr Dromey, with fellow Plymouth MP Alison Seabeck, over his scathing comments.

Mrs Gilroy said Conservative MPs in the region had been engaged in a positive way in discussions about Devonport.

But she accused Conservative councillors in Plymouth of playing party politics.

Mrs Gilroy was referring to comments made earlier this week by the leader of Plymouth City Council, who had accused a Government minister of "ignoring" her concerns about the future of the dockyard.

Vivien Pengelly wrote to Armed Forces Minister Bob Ainsworth last month, asking for "clarity" on its plans.

Mrs Pengelly was unavailable for comment last night about Mr Dromey's and Mrs Gilroy's claims.