HC Deb 21 June 1985 vol 81 cc246-7W
Mr. Ian Lloyd

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what are his plans for the naval estate in Portsmouth; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Lee

We have just concluded a study, known as the Portsea island naval requirements study, to reassess the most efficient way of using the naval estate on Portsea island and to the north of Portsmouth. The study was needed to develop the earlier "Slimtrain" plan, which followed Command 8288, in the light of changes in the shape, tasking and size of the Navy since then.

The study has been carried out by a team of external consultants tasked by the Property Services Agency. It has proposed and costed a number of ways in which the Navy's needs could be met. We have accepted a broad strategy for the next decade or so, and intend now to proceed to discussion with local authorities, trades unions, and others, so as to refine it further. Within this strategy, a number of details remain to be worked out, and these are currently being studied, The main element of our plan is the concentration, to the greatest extent feasible, of training activities and domestic accommodation in HMS Excellent/Whale Island. We envisage that this should allow instead the eventual closure of HMS Mercury, of Phoenix and HMS Vernon as already planned, and of the major part of the Royal Marine barracks, Eastney, subject to further study and to the outcome of consultation.