Dame Caroline Dinenage, Member of Parliament for Gosport, has asked for reassurance about the future security of key local defence training estate in the Gosport Constituency.
The Government’s Strategic Defence and Security Review, published today, suggested that Royal Navy training estate needs were being reconsidered.[1] Caroline used her question to ask Secretary of State John Healey to confirm that training bases HMS Sultan and HMS Collingwood would not be under threat.
In the House of Commons Caroline said:
‘This line, page 105, reconsidering training estate needs, will concern many. Could he confirm that the outstanding training establishments at HMS Sultan and HMS Collingwood, which employ so many, will not be under threat?
Secretary of State for Defence said:
‘We are doing further work on the nature and the needs of our defence estate. It’s right that we do that. Because we have a long-term view now, we’ll be able to take better long-term decisions on that.’
Speaking after the Statement by the Secretary of State for Defence, Caroline said:
“It’s very concerning to read that the training estate is under review because HMS Sultan and HMS Collingwood not only offer an incredibly high standard of training and value-for-money for the Royal Navy but they also create many high skilled jobs in the Gosport peninsula.
“I will continue to campaign to ensure that the Government recognises the contribution of these outstanding establishments.”
ENDS
For more information contact [email protected]
You can watch Caroline’s question here: https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/088b3ce8-9e61-44f6-87c8-568a262982da?in=18:21:56
[1] Ministry of Defence, Strategic Defence Review 2025 – Making Britain Safer: secure at home, strong abroad, (2025), https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/683d89f181deb72cce2680a5/The_Strategic_Defence_Review_2025_-_Making_Britain_Safer_-_secure_at_home__strong_abroad.pdf, p.105
