"Heart and home of the Royal Navy": MP visits city outlining HMNB Portsmouth industry investment plans
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Detailed discussions were held about how a defence cash injection will be invested in the Portsmouth area.
Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, Labour MP and chair of the defence select committee, visited the city to hold talks with politicians, companies, and charities. This comes in the wake of a further £2.2bn being set aside for the defence sector, which chancellor Rachel Reeves announced in March.
Mr Singh said: “It was a pleasure to visit Portsmouth, the heart and home of the Royal Navy, to discuss the impact of this new era for UK defence. In Stephen and Amanda, Portsmouth has two strong advocates who speak up for their home city. I’d like to thank them for hosting and introducing me to local people and businesses to hear their views on the government’s plans to make Britain secure at home and strong abroad.”
The key component of the investment is HMNB Portsmouth receiving huge upgrades, with more jetties and berths being added alongside investment in accommodation and other infrastructure. Captain of the naval base, Lee McLocklan, previously described the plans as a “bright opportunity”.
The visit, also including Portsmouth MPs Stephen Morgan and Amanda Martin, saw the group have guided tour of SubSea Craft, based in Old Portsmouth. It specialises in producing advanced maritime technology and has been growing its workforce over the past few years. Discussions were held about the challenges small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) face in the defence industry, and future opportunities.
Deputy director of business development, Andrew Sturman, said: “We are grateful for the support of our local MPs, who recognise the importance of a strong defence SME industrial base, both for the local economy and the wider UK defence industry.
“As SSC enters its most exciting phase of growth – with headcounts having grown to over 150 in the last few years alone – we are keen to support SME growth initiatives within the defence sector and continue to deliver positive impacts on both regional innovation and job creation. We look forward to working with Stephen, Amanda and Tan to further drive UK defence innovation and support the objectives of the UK Armed Forces and its allies.”
Meetings were also held with the Naval Children’s Charity to outline how the organisation supports the wellbeing and development of children in serving and veteran Royal Navy families. Mr Morgan, representing Portsmouth South, said the visit was brilliant and rewarding.
He added: “I want to thank SubSea Craft for hosting us and showing us how Portsmouth is leading the way on ground-breaking maritime technology. The government is investing record amounts in defence to keep Britain secure at home and strong abroad, and I will keep working to ensure Portsmouth is an engine for growth as part of those plans.”
Amanda Martin, of Portsmouth North, said: It’s fantastic to see Portsmouth companies like SubSea Craft at the forefront of defence innovation, particularly as Labour delivers on its commitment to the biggest increase in defence spending since the Cold War.
“This government is rightly focusing on increasing SME involvement in the defence sector, and I welcome new initiatives to support smaller contractors like SubSea. Portsmouth has always been at the heart of UK defence, and I’m delighted to support local businesses that are not only strengthening our national security but also creating high-skilled jobs for my community.”