The Secretary of State for Defence, Wes Streeting MP, today visited Plymouth to see the major investment in HM Naval Base Devonport. His visit follows an announcement in July of £7.1 billion investment for HMNB Devonport for upgrade work.
Mr Streeting visited HMNB Devonport alongside Luke Pollard MP, Fred Thomas MP and Anna Gelderd MP to view Major Infrastructure Works at Devonport, including submarine maintenance facilities.
Last month, in his ministerial role, Mr Pollard announced the largest naval infrastructure programme since the end of the Cold War, including £7.1 billion to modernise HMNB Devonport. The ten-year programme of upgrades will see infrastructure modernised.
Mr Pollard said the investment was “historic” and would deliver “a decade of game changing jobs and opportunities” for communities across Plymouth. He added that “Labour governments, including this one, always back Devonport”.
During his visit to Devonport, Mr Streeting also spoke with local businesses developing innovative defence technology and boosting Plymouth’s local economy, including ACUA Ocean, Oshen, ZeroUSV, MSub, Marine AI. These local companies are assisting the Royal Navy to transition to a hybrid Navy – where state-of-the-art crewed ships will be networked with cutting-edge uncrewed surface and undersea craft.
To help local young people benefit from new opportunities, City College Plymouth was selected to become one of five national Defence Technical Excellence Colleges in April. Backed by £10 million of funding, it will expand training capacity and accelerate skills development in industries of the future, including nuclear, naval maintenance, marine autonomy, cyber and advanced manufacturing.
“Defence runs in the blood in Plymouth. This city has a proud maritime history at the heart of our national security – and an equally exciting future. HMNB Devonport’s future is secure and bright as they push the frontiers of defence innovation to keep us all safe.”