In a statement to MPs, Mr Ellwood confirmed that the MOD has already disposed of nine sites and has advanced its plans for the release of other sites which have been identified for sale.

The changes under the Better Defence Estates Strategy, announced in 2016, are the most significant since the end of the Second World War and will see the sale of 91 sites owned or managed by the MOD.

The site sales will release land no longer required by the military, which will be able to be used for more economically beneficial purposes, such as house building.

The plans will save the taxpayer around £140 million by the end of the decade, rising to £3 billion by the end of 2040. The changes will also reduce the number of personnel being regularly moved between different bases, providing greater long-term stability and certainty for our Armed Forces and their families.

All money raised will be reinvested back into defence, with £4 billion committed to improving military bases, including accommodation.

Mr Ellwood also announced that the RAF will stop using RAF Linton-on-Ouse in North Yorkshire by 2020 and RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire by 2022.

RAF Scampton is the current home of the Red Arrows and work is underway to find them a new home fit for purpose. The MOD will work closely with the local council and potential buyers to ensure the site’s future use meets the needs of the local economy, whilst also exploring ways in which the heritage of the site, including a museum, can be preserved.

Despite RAF Scampton’s closure, the RAF presence in Lincolnshire continues to grow. There will be significant investment in the Lincolnshire area, with several hundred service personnel arriving at RAF Cranwell, RAF Waddington and RAF Coningsby over the next five years.

RAF Linton-on-Ouse, the main base for the No.1 Flying Training School, will cease being an RAF Station in 2020 and the MOD is currently considering other potential defence uses, ahead of an eventual disposal of the site.

Minister for Defence People and Veterans Tobias Ellwood said:

Our military bases are where our service personnel live, train and work, so it’s important that we have sites which suit the needs of the armed forces.

That’s why we’re making our defence estate more modern and efficient, by closing sites we don’t need and investing in more modern accommodation. As well as saving money, and allowing reinvestment back into a more modern and better defence estate, the changes will provide greater long-term stability and certainty for our Armed Forces and their families.

Key facts

• The Better Defence Estates strategy is part of the Defence Estate Optimisation Programme, which will reduce the size of the built estate by 30 per cent by 2040 and will meet our SDSR commitment. See the strategy here

The programme has already delivered nine disposals at:

• Hullavington Airfield
• Chalgrove Airfield
• Somerset Barracks
• MOD facilities at Swansea Airport
• Moat House
• Rylston Road ARC (London)
• Newtonards Airfield
• Copthorne Barracks

• Lodge Hill

• The plans will deliver savings of over £140 million of running costs over the next 10 years, rising to nearly £3 billion by 2040. This is in addition to the £4 billion which will be spent over the next 10 years.

• As at 1 April 2016, the MOD currently controls around 2% of UK land, owning more than 568,000 acres of land and foreshore in the UK (either freehold or leasehold) and holding the rights over a further 548,573 acres.

• The estate includes approximately 50,000 houses, 60,000 technical assets such as hangars or workshops and 20,000 other key assets such as runways and electrical networks.

• The cost of maintaining this estate is significant, approximately £2.5bn per annum and spread across too many inefficient assets and sites.

• Approximately 40 per cent of our built assets are over 50 years old and do not meet the needs of a modern fighting force.

• The size of the built estate has reduced by 9 per cent since 1999/00 compared to a total personnel reduction of 36 per cent.

Around one million public sector workers are set to benefit from the biggest pay rise in almost 10 years, the government announced today (24 July 2018). The 1% cap ended last year in recognition that dedicated public sector workers deserve a pay rise.

A balanced approach to the economy means that today’s increases are affordable within government spending plans:

• members of the Armed Forces will receive a well-above inflation increase of 2.9% (2% consolidated, 0.9% non-consolidated), with today’s award worth £680 in pay to an average soldier, plus a one-off payment of £300
• the teachers’ award means the main pay range will increase by 3.5% (2% to upper pay range and 1.5% to leadership). Schools will determine how it is set
• all prison officers will get at least a 2.75% (2% consolidated, 0.75% non-consolidated) increase this year, with many getting higher awards
• a police award of 2% (all consolidated) will mean average pay for a Constable will now be more than £38,600 per year

• a pay increase of at least 2% for junior doctors, specialist doctors, GPs and dentists. Consultants will also get a pay rise of at least £1,150

  (From October 2018: 2% for dentists and junior doctors consolidated / 1.5% consolidated for consultants with an additional 0.5% targeted at performance pay / 3% consolidated pay rise for specialty (SAS) Doctors / Backdated to April 2018: 2% for GPs consolidated, with an additional 1% potentially available from April 2019 subject to contract reform)

This follows the 6.5% pay rise over three years that was announced in March for more than a million nurses, midwives and other Agenda for Change staff, in return for modernisation of terms and conditions.
It is also vital that our world class public services continue modernising to meet rising demand for the incredible services they provide, which improve lives and keep us safe. Secretaries of State will be taking forward work to continue modernising their workforces in the coming years.

Today’s increases are funded from departmental budgets. Current and future affordability across the whole public sector was considered when agreeing final awards, alongside the advice of the Pay Review Bodies. This is to ensure that resources are available to invest in public service improvement, and that awards are sustainable without an increasing burden of debt being passed onto future generations. The UK already spends around £50bn a year on debt interest, more than is spent on the police and armed forces combined.

Today’s announcement is on top of good overall remuneration packages in place for public sector workers:

• public sector workers continue to benefit from better pensions than those offered in the private sector.
• median pay for full time employees in the public sector is £30,630 compared to £27,977 in the private sector.
• pay awards are on top of performance and progression pay, which remains automatic for some workforces.

Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson paid a visit today to Rubb in Gateshead, global-leaders in innovative defence structures and hangars for the military sector, where he outlined the benefits of defence to local jobs and industry.

The Defence Secretary met with staff and toured the facility during his visit of the company, which has been a long-standing supplier to the UK Armed Forces, going back to 1979 when the RAF tasked them to supply military buildings for the world-famous Red Arrows.

Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said:

A strong defence industry throughout the four corners of the UK is crucial to our economy as well as our national security, and Rubb UK are an outstanding example of our world-leading homegrown engineers in the North East.

Their workers are part of some 700 jobs we support in this area, and their pride in making the homes for our world-class jets and aircraft is clear to see.

With this region benefitting from £100m of defence investment and in line for more business, it is playing a key role in ensuring our Armed Forces have what they need to protect our country from intensifying threats.

Rubb’s expertise in rapid deployable hangar solutions have been used to house operation-ready fighter jets and carry out essential maintenance on large Chinook helicopters.

The hangars have been invaluable to British, Canadian and US forces deployed on operations across the globe. Rubb continue to provide the Armed Forces with long-term assets and are exploring the potential of their cutting-edge cooling techniques and structural fabric technology for the UK’s new Lightning jets.

Rubb are an exemplary British business who design and manufacture their military buildings in the local area, securing jobs and investment into the region and delivers the UK with a much-valued domestic industrial capability. Rubb also export their products across the globe to consumers in Africa, Europe, North America and the Middle East.

The company has over 50 local employees and currently benefits from a £6.86 million contract with the MOD. A significant local employer, Rubb’s first ever apprentice in 1977 has now risen to become Steel Production Manager after more than forty years of service.

Ian Hindmoor, Managing Director at Rubb Buildings Ltd, said:

Working with the MOD is a long-standing relationship that we have nurtured over the years. We are proud to be part of an industry that helps provide equipment, which supports our troops at home and in the field. It is encouraging to learn that the North East is being recognised for its engineering knowledge and skills, and for Rubb to be recognised as an ‘outstanding’ example in this field by the Defence Secretary. We hope to see future investment in this industry so R&D and jobs can continue to grow.

As outlined in former Defence Minister Philip Dunne’s report on the contribution defence makes to British prosperity, the North East plays an important role in UK defence, providing over 3,000 regulars and reserves to the Armed Forces, supporting over 700 industry jobs, and is renowned for its defence manufacturing industry.

The region benefits from MOD investment in local industry and commerce totalling £100 million, where The largest MOD industry group expenditure in the area is with computer services totalling £63 million. Key suppliers include DXC Technology, Capita and Pearson Engineering.

Commander Joint Forces Command Commendations were presented to individuals from across the Command in recognition of outstanding work in support of JFC and the wider Ministry of Defence (MOD).

General Deverell, was pleased to meet with recipients and their families and to offer his personal congratulations on their achievements. He said:

Joint Forces Command is full of bright, innovative and hardworking personnel. It is of particular importance to me that we recognise and celebrate their achievements. It was a pleasure to meet with some of these individuals today and also to thank their families who support them in the excellent work they do.

These individuals should serve as an inspiration to colleagues across the MOD and to the public. Their selfless dedication to duty is not only inspiring but plays a big part in protecting the national security of the UK. And we thank them for this.

Awards were given to teams as well as individuals from JFC in recognition for excellent work in a number of areas. This ranged from providing essential support to operations in the UK and the Middle East, working in support of community development and charity projects, and also in recognition of displays of exceptional courage in the line of duty.

Speaking about his commendation, Corporal Dean Cresswell from the British Army said:

Working at JFC was my most challenging but also my most rewarding posting to date. I am grateful for the recognition I have received for my work during this time and I feel honoured to be selected for this award.

Civil Servant, Rachel Spicer, said of her award win:

I am incredibly humbled to receive a Commander JFC Commendation for my role as Cyber & Influence Capability Planning Group Manager within JFC HQ.

Adding to this, Lieutenant Commander Craig Devlin from the Royal Navy said:

This award is recognition that innovation in the right environment can thrive and that procurement can be an agile process delivering at pace. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in JFC and feel privileged to receive this award.

The Royal Air Force’s Sergeant Steven Peter Hollis said:

I am extremely honoured to receive this award. It was a pleasure to serve within JFC, working with personalities from across the three services. My role as a military skills instructor was very rewarding, ensuring personnel were prepared for operations.

The Commander JFC Commendations can be awarded to service personnel, civil servants and contracted staff from across the organisation. The winners of the Commander Joint Forces Command Commendations are:

• Cdr Ian Peattie, Royal Navy, Standing Joint Force Headquarters

• Capt Stephen Jenkins, French Navy, Combined Joint Expeditionary Force

• WO1 Darren Lennon, Royal Navy, Permanent Joint Headquarters

• WO2 John Heriot, Royal Navy, JFC C4 Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance

• WO2 Matthew Arthur, Royal Army Physical Training Corp, Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre

• Lt Col Douglas Cochran, Royal Regiment of Scotland, Joint Information Activities Group

• Cpl Dean Cresswell, Intelligence Corps, Permanent Joint Headquarters

• Maj Wayne Fielding, Royal Logistics Corps, Northwood HQ

• Bdr Simon Hall, Royal Regiment of Artillery, Standing Joint Force Headquarters

• Maj Christopher Hartley, Royal Corps of Signals, Global operations Security Control Centre

• Maj David Hollis, Princess of Wales Royal Regiment (PWRR), Officer Commanding Headquarters Company 2 PWRR

• Maj Frederick McNair, Royal Regiment of Scotland, Joint Force Development

• WO2 Simon Mortiboy, Royal logistics Corps, Defence Academy

• Cpl Thomas Oldnall, Intelligence Corps, British Forces Cyprus

• Maj Benjamin Sawyer, Royal Logistics Corps, Joint Forces Command Capability

• Sgt Andros Adamou, Police, Community Police Sergeant

• Sqn Ldr Hayley Adamson, Royal Air Force, Joint Expeditionary Force

• Flt Lt Lee Ashcroft, Royal Air Force, Joint Movements Squadron

• Sgt Edward Coleridge, Royal Air Force, Joint Movements Squadron

• Sgt Steven Hollis, Royal Air Force, European Joint Support Unit

• Sqn Ldr Julian Park, Royal Air Force, Permanent Joint Headquarters

• Paula Banthrope, Joint Forces Command HQ

• Rev Clive Larrett, Joint Intelligence Training Group

• Alfred Rouse, Capability Special Projects

• Rachel Spicer, Joint Forces Command HQ

• John Strange, Technical Surveillance Countermeasures Practitioner

• Crossbow Wyton Team, Team Award, Defence Intelligence

• Joint Warfare Exercise Branch, Team Award, Joint Warfare

• Non Standard Services Requirement Tiger Team, Team Award, Information Services & Systems

Staff from organisations representing the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Iraq, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Ukraine, as well as several international action groups, were welcomed to London to discuss the issues faced in their countries, particularly by women.

Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said:

Conflict can have devastating effects for anyone caught in its path, but life can be particularly traumatic for women. They are subject to violence, sexual exploitation and abuse, and their calls for justice are often falling on deaf ears.

I am determined we do more to listen to those who are often not given a voice. It is only by understanding the situation faced by women and girls that we will be able to protect them.

The event allowed the Defence Secretary to gain a greater understanding of the security situation faced by women, men, girls and boys in conflict-affected areas. In turn this will allow the military to develop better plans for protection of civilians.

The meeting was the first time a UK Defence minister has sat with civil societies groups specifically representing women’s human rights from areas affected by conflict. The groups represented included Gender Action for Peace and Security, Action Aid, International Alert, the International Rescue Committee, Plan, Saferworld, Women’s League for Peace and Freedom, Women for Women International, Security Women, Nigeria INGO Forum and Legal Action Worldwide.

The UK National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security has currently nine focus countries, five of which were discussed yesterday: DRC, Iraq, Nigeria, Somalia and South Sudan. These nations either have UK military directly deployed there, or are nations where UK-trained peacekeepers are deployed.

The UK has already increased peacekeeping in Sudan and Somalia, has deployed four Military Gender and Protection Advisers to DRC and has established a UK centre of excellence to integrate guidelines on women, peace and security into its work. It is also among the first countries to publish a National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security.