The petition of residents of the UK,

Declares that RM Stonehouse, which is home to 3 Commando Brigade, will be disposed of through the Ministry of Defence’s estate optimisation strategy.

The petitioners therefore urge the House of Commons to urge the Government to ensure that 3 Commando Brigade is retained in Plymouth and not moved out of the local area.

And the petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Oliver Colvile, Official Report, 1 November 2016; Vol. 616, c. 860.]

[P001970]

Observations from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence, (Mark Lancaster):

On 7 November 2016, the Secretary of State for Defence confirmed the intention to dispose of Stonehouse Barracks in 2023 as part of the Department’s estate optimisation strategy “A Better Defence Estate”. Under current reprovision plans, the units based at Stonehouse Barracks will move to the Plymouth and Torpoint area. This move will contribute to a strategy where the Royal Navy will focus on Centres of Specialisation with operating bases and training establishments located predominantly around the port areas and Naval Air Stations, and an Amphibious Centre of Specialisation in the South West based around Devonport. Consolidating the Defence estate in this way will also help to provide greater stability for Service personnel and their families. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) recognises the positive integration between the military and civilian communities in Plymouth, which has been demonstrated through Plymouth City Council’s commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant, and we hope this will continue.

Over the next 12-18 months, the MOD will conduct a series of detailed assessments to more precisely define the exact moves and sequencing required for the units which currently occupy Stonehouse Barracks in line with implementing the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review. The MOD will continue to work closely with Plymouth City Council and other interested parties to consider the best possible future uses for the site. The Secretary of State for Defence is committed to reporting to Parliament each year on the progress made to implement the strategy. “A Better Defence Estate” is available in the Library of the House.